In studying today I was reminded of the story of Abraham in Genesis 17 & 18.
Most of us are pretty familiar with the account I think so I'll just share some brief excerpts to try to bring a word of encouragement to you today.
We know that Abraham believed God in the promise of an heir and a multitude of descendents and it was counted to him as righteousness. ( Gen. 15:6)
Believing, and taking God at His Word, is always the path to the righteousness that God accepts and receives.
Now, there were some hiccups in Abraham's faith but He accepted that somehow God would bring about His promise.
That made him righteous before God.
What a wonderful testimony for each of us to aspire to!
I believe God! And as you recite that to your self in reading this, you make the determination to believe and enjoy the benefit it brings!
Initially, Abram was his name which means 'exalted father' but in his act of faith and trust God changed his name to Abraham which means 'father of a multitude'.
Faith in God's promise always reaches beyond yourself and speaks to your succeeding generations.
None of us 'abide alone' but our actions impact everyone around us and those who come from us.
Now Sarai was a bit of a different story.
Sarai means 'princess' but God changed her namne to Sarah which means 'noble woman'. Noble means 'lofty' or 'aristocratic'.
Isnt it wonderful that God chooses to take us where we are and elevate us into Him in unimaginable ways?!
The 15th chapter relates that when the three angels appeared to Abraham at the Oaks of Mamre they reminded Abraham of God's promise that Sarah was in the tent behind her husband and heard them.
She laughed.
It wasnt Sarah's intention to mock God's promise but all she could see, like many of us, was the hilarious impossiblity of the whole situation.
That often describes how we receive the promises of God.
We see first the hilarious impossibility of our situation.
The angels response was to challenge Sarah and she denied that she laughed. How often do we deny our unbelief?
There is never an occasion that God does not know what is in our hearts so her denial didnt produce anything.
The angel responded to Sarah's disbelief by asking in Genesis 18:14, "Is anything too difficult for the Lord?"
God is always trustworthy, always.
Regardless of your hilarious impossibility God has promised to walk with you and keep you during your hour of trial (Isaiah 43:12; Zecheriah 2:10; Genesis 28:15).
Maybe it's time for you to apply some 'hilarious faith' to your 'hilarious impossibilities'!
17. "Ah Lord God! Behold thou hast made the heaven and the earth by Thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for Thee:"
27. "Behold! I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for Me?" - Jeremiah 32:17, 27