Last Sunday we talked about Genesis 21.
The Lord dealt with Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as he had promised. Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the time of which God had spoken to him. Abraham gave the name Isaac to his son whom Sarah bore him. And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. Now Sarah said, “God has brought laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh with me.”
God dealt with Sarah. We talked about how the word "dealt" is sometimes translated remembered. Like when it says that God remembered Noah. It doesn't really mean that we have a forgetful God. (Can you imagine God forgetting his car keys???!) No. It means that it was time for God to turn his grace toward him. And that is the same case here.
God turned his grace toward Sarah. He gave her the child that they had both been longing for. The days of them being laughed at for being childless were over.
So Sarah laughed. She rejoiced! And she knew in her heart that others would soon be rejoicing with her.
But they waited 25 years for this incredible gift to arrive. 25 years!! How long has any of us waited that long for something of this importance. Not many of us have had to wait that long.
Did you know that God wants to give gifts to you? He has a plan. (We already talked about this a few weeks ago.) He is extraordinary and has extraordinary for us (love, mercy, futures). (We talked about that last week.) And now, we learn that he is faithful to give us those gifts! He doesn't hold them back because he wishes us ill. He has a time and a place to release those gifts to us! They are there and in the best time God releases them to us. And they are always what we need. So, how do we respond when God has these gifts and he has or has not released them to us, yet?
Begs the question. Are you thankful for what you have? Have you looked at what God has given you, and I mean everything, and thanked him for it? Now, I know that we do that every year at Thanksgiving time. But I am going to throw a wrench in that. Here goes. I believe that there is an element of contentment in being thankful. I think that to truly be thankful for what you have your have to be content with what you have. Want an example? Think about: poorest Africa, single child, one ratty, broken doll. Now, contrast with: typical home in US, single child, 15 new, shiny toys. Process through level of thankfulness in regard to contentment.
The response to God's amazing gifts is to be thankful. And to be perfectly content in each of them. Only then can we use them to their utmost and love the very giving of them to the degree they deserve.
God is a faithful gift-giver!
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