Sarah's story can be found throughout Genesis 12-21. There are certain portions of her story that are very interesting, not least of which is the fact that she had her first child at 90.
Sarah was quite the adventurer, and I look to her a source of biblical inspiration in my life. Mostly for her willingness to pack up her entire life and follow her husband to a land she knew nothing about. Being a military wife I have to do this often. I married my husband and within 2 weeks of marriage had to move from AZ and leave my family and moved to the other side of the country, to Florida. I knew no one but my husband when I went there, just as Sarah knew no one but her husband. Yet she trusted in him and trusted in God that all would work out. And that is exactly what I did, and what I have had to do every time we move somewhere new.
Sarah and Abraham's travels brought them to Egypt during a time of famine. Knowing Sarah's beauty would attract the attention of the leaders she encouraged her to say that she was his sister, not his wife. (She was in fact Abraham's half-sister) Trusting in her husband's judgement she did so and was immediately taken into Pharaoh's harem. When it came to light that she was in fact Abraham's wife they were immediately sent from Egypt with wealth beyond their imagining. It's hard for me to imagine my husband saying that I wasn't his wife, I understand that times were different then but it is still difficult to put myself in her position.
Sarah is most known as the mother of Isaac. The son she was told she would have but did not believe that she would have because of her age. I mean, at 65 she was told to pack her belonging and leave her homeland, years later she was informed that she would bear a son. She of course did not believe that at her age it would happen. After years of trying and no luck she offered Abraham her maidservant, Hagar. Hagar conceived and bore a son, Ishmael. Again, I cannot honestly put myself in Sarah's position. I cannot imagine offering my husband another woman to bear a child for him. Again, I know this was commonplace back then but I cannot fully wrap my brain around it.
We all know that Hagar conceiving was not the way God planned for Abraham's descendant's to inherit that land, it was through Sarah's descendant's that God's plan was for. "It is heartening to realize that God accomplishes his purposes despite our frailties, our little faith, out entrenched self-reliance." This quote hit me like a ton of bricks. I am not always trusting of God's plan, I always want to try and do things my own way. I need to learn to be more trusting. Sarah tried to take things into her own hand and that did not work out. She eventually trusted in God's plan and at the age of 90 was blessed with a child. As I look forward to starting my own family I am putting my trust in God that when the timing is right for Him, He will bless my husband and myself with a child. "Remember that God has his own timetable, and rest in the assurance that he loves you and will fulfill his promises to you."
"God hints at his purpose for you by planting dreams within your heart. Ask yourself what dreams you've been too busy, too afraid, or too disappointed to pursue."
*All quotes are from Spangler & Syswerda's Women of the Bible
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