Genesis 21
Let's begin this morning by spending just a little time in the first 8 verses. You may want to look at this with me for we see here some important phrases:
Verse 1: "The Lord blessed"
Verse 2: "At the time God had said"
Verse 4: "as God had commanded"
Verse 6: "God has brought me joy"
(repeat)
The birth of Isaac is surrounded by these wonderful statements. We see here the wonderful intervention of God in their lives. Firstly comes the blessing that is Sarah become pregnant as had been promised for so many years - then comes the fulfilment of the promise at the time promised and foretold by God. Then comes the response of the Father in circumcising his son in accordance with the command and will of God. Then the response of the Mother is to state quite clearly that the joy that she now feels comes from God.
Firstly the Lord had promised, then came the blessing, the fulfilment and then the response. God acts, we respond. What a hard road this has been for Abraham and Sarah to travel. As we have seen they have often departed from it, doubted God's ability to act, tried to help God along and just generally got in the way of God's plan.
But there is here in these eight verses a great and simple divine truth:
God acts
We respond.
It is a pattern repeated not only throughout scripture but in every Christian life. in 1 John 4 verse 19 of course we read the simplest statement of this great truth; "We love because God first loved us."
Whether it is is God calling Abraham or appearing to Moses in the burning bush or Jesus calling the fishermen to come and follow him, the initial act is God's. God chooses and acts and we respond.
To understand the reality and depth of this we might consider the truths unveiled in Psalm 139. This is an important Psalm for our understanding not only of ourselves but of God and how he acts.
verse 13:
You created every part of me - you put me together in my mother's womb.
verse 15/16:
When I was growing there in secret you knew I was there - you saw me
before I was born.
verse 16:
The days allotted to me had all been recorded in your book BEFORE ANY
OF THEM EVER BEGAN
verse 1/2
Lord, you have examined me and you know me. You know everything I do
verse 4
Even before I speak you already know what I will say.
Do you see here not only the perfect knowledge that God has of us but his active and dynamic role in our lives. He is the giver of our lives. Even before we are conceived, He knows us - knows everything we will ever say or do -Can the Almighty know less than everything? God has acted generally as we may deduce from Psalm 139 and also specifically as we see in Genesis 21.
And all reasonable responses to God's action are contained in these opening verses of this chapter. Firstly Abraham does what is commanded by God - and Sarah puts into words the powerful truth that comes when a soul knows that God has acted and is acting and is faithful, "God has brought me joy and laughter". And Hebrews 11v11 adds more to this, "it was faith that made Abraham able to become a father, even though he was too old and Sarah herself could not have children. He trusted God to keep his promise."
Focus on Sarah for a moment: she has been on a rollercoaster of a spiritual ride. She has doubted, lied, denied and laughed and showed a lack of trust in God. But now at last as she holds the proof of God's power and love in her arms she feels the liberation that comes when we have faith in God.
What power there is for the soul that is willing to really get to grips with the truth. We love because God loved us first. Dwell on these truths and accept them with faith and feel the power of the freedom and peace that follows. God put us here. He knows us. He knows everything about us and everything we will ever be. He calls the Christian soul by name, he lays before us the sacrifice of his Son. We have the chance to respond to his love. To accept from his gracious hands the offer of salvation. We have our chance to respond. But you know we really must grasp the truth of this if our souls are to know the joy and laughter that Sarah knows here.
So often we are dragged down into lack of faith and even unbelief. Our souls grow weary because we don't really trust in the promises of God. But you know we can dare to believe it all. Because it is true. In Psalm 139 verse 5, "You are all round me on every side; you protect me with your power." Hagar in wandering in the desert - thinks that she has been deserted by all, but the gracious God is there - God had provided but she didn't really see that until as we read at verse 19, "God opened her eyes". At verse 22 Abimelech comes to Abraham and speaks about what he has observed, "God is with you in everything you do."
We need God to open our eyes as he is doing this morning if we are willing that is to have them opened. There is such strength and comfort and joy to be found when we realise the truth about the Lord and what he has done for us and simplicity of the response that is required by us. It is so simple we find it very hard indeed to really believe our good fortune. So many souls pay lip service not only to this truth but to all the great truths of scripture. That is not the way to liberation and freedom and spiritual growth and maturity.
I urge you then to grasp the truth you have heard this morning. Be liberated not enslaved. Dare to believe and dare to trust, And let us make the last verse of Psalm 139 our closing prayer:
Find out if there is any evil in me and guide me in the everlasting way.