My backyard garden is an unrealized dream. A few months ago we sowed and scattered seeds with the haphazard helping hands of my four-year-old daughter. Despite multiple warnings not to do so, she dumped an entire container of bird seed alongside my hoped-for flowers. In addition, the sod we ripped up to make room for the garden left rows of roots that like to pop up, and no matter how many times I rip them out, they always seem to show up again.
Now I cannot tell weeds from future blooms, and the hours I spent trying to cultivate a beautiful cut-flower garden seem fruitless (or, flowerless). I know that eventually, the real flowers will bloom, and then I can root out the weeds that have grown.
Sarah’s life was marked by a root of bitterness, a weed that made her scoff at God’s promise and treat Hagar with contempt and cruelty. Bitterness was born out of her perceived injustice: her husband fathering a son with her slave (Genesis 21:9–10), her own inability to have children (11:30), and the seemingly-impossible promise God made to her (18:10).
If you told me today that in two months, my garden would be bursting with zinnias, peonies, snapdragons, and gardenias, I would probably laugh. My track record, like Sarah’s in childbearing, is sparse. I have nothing on which to base my hope of a bountiful flower harvest.
What did Sarah have to fight back against her bitterness? She had a promise, a word spoken by the Author of promises. But still, she laughed.
Thankfully, the fulfillment of God’s promise to Sarah did not rest on her. God did not bless her with a son, Isaac, because of her attitude. It was not a reward based on piety, or character, or anything other than His word. And His word is always good, no matter the shape and bent of our hearts.
Bitterness has deep roots in my own heart, and daily I have to push against its influence. I think, You deserve this. You’ve earned it. And then I compare my circumstances to someone else’s, reasoning, What has she done to get that thing (job, house, vacation, experience, complexion)? I am just as worthy!
The problem with this false narrative is this: not only is it deeply baked in privilege, but it feeds into the merit-based culture we live in. Entitlement begets merit, which begets more entitlement, and so on. The culture of God’s kingdom is anchored neither in merit nor in entitlement, but rather in the goodness and faithfulness of God.
Sarah had neither merit nor entitlement. She seemed to have bitterness where faithfulness should grow. But what she did have was the promise, and so she became the mother of the promise by God’s grace alone.
On bitterness, poet and hymn writer Anne Ross Cousin said this in her poem, “In Immanuel’s Land”:
Soon shall the cup of glory
Wash down earth’s bitterest woes,
Soon shall the desert briar,
Break in to Eden’s rose
…
I stand upon His merit,
I know no other stand
Not e’en where glory dwelleth
In Immanuel’s land.
The things I long for are chaff and weeds, distractions from the best promise ever made: the eternal presence of the Lord Himself. Like Sarah, I have no merit to cling to as I wait for the fulfillment of God’s promises. But I have Him, and His Word, and His merit alone.
Leave a Reply
56 thoughts on "Sarah"
Amen!
Thank goodness Gods word is enough!
That bitterness is a sneaky thing. It creeps up on me regularly. It brings about a kinds of unhappiness
I too am struggling with a seed of bitterness. God has promised to be faithful, and I must trust him!
This was an eye-opening (and convicting!) reminder as to how I am like Sarah in so many ways. And the garden illustration will be a visual I come back to often when checking my heart. Thank you! I also wanted to share, for anyone interested, that my church rewrote the melody to Anne Ross Cousin’s hymn and it is one of my favorite hymns we sing at church. I was so surprised to see it quoted in the devotion as I have never heard anyone reference it. Powerful words! https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EIjXZxOXZGk
So grateful God’s word describes how He uses sinful, disobedient people, in desperate need of a Savior people. Otherwise, how could I ever relate them.
Lord, help me to be more faithful in you and in your word when I feel things are impossible and want to laugh like Sarah. Nothing is impossible for you! Amen ♡
I love this metaphor. I want to weed out the weeds but cant tell until they start to grow. That so true in life… if you focus on the weeds you miss the beauty of the garden being grown.
Loved this reading today. It reminds me how I all too easily fall into bitterness and resentment when I see others get what I want or think I deserve. Father, thank you for all you have given me, forgive my sins of jealousy and pride. Amen.
God kept me out of the temptation “ 6Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that you have done this in the integrity of your heart, and it was I who kept you from sinning against me. Therefore I did not let you touch her. “
I had a dream this dawn. In the dream I was very younger than now and resulted to promiscuity to feed my sister and myself. When I woke up , I was about to panic. However, instead the Holy Spirit reminded me that he just wanted me to know how my life would’ve been if he hadn’t stepped in . Now , this is not far fetch because I know some people and places I walk through. I have always been amazed how I didn’t do certain things . This is just a confirmation that it wasn’t me . To read this , right after such a dream is not coincidence. The Lord kept me from sinning against Him. Which means I have to be less judgemental and pray for others I was condemning. Ps: I had condemned my brother in my heart prior to this dream because he told me he is no longer a Christian. Again , This reading has reminded my that I have to keep praying because nothing is too hard for the lord . God is Amazing!
My mother-in-law, Mary, went home to be with the Lord today. The battle is over.
I couldn’t help but think about our SRT study right now. We are reading about men and women of the Old Testament. Men and women like you and me, like Mary, created by God with a purpose and a plan, imperfect, but loved.
Mary’s journey on earth is finished. She is Home, in the presence of Jesus. I believe she will hear the words, “Well done,” but specifically-what did she do well? I don’t think it was her great earthly successes. I believe it will be a multitude of little acts of obedience and love along the way. Maybe God will remind her of the smile she gave the new couple in church – her worship in the choir – babies cuddled in baby quilts she made – the tummy of the orphan no longer empty because of her obedient support – the times she got up early to read her Bible – or stayed up through the night nursing a sick child. I wonder if lots of those who had gone before her and whose funeral dinners she made will be waiting to welcome her in?
Life can be amazing and wonderful, overwhelming and crazy. Sometimes we get it right, a lot of times we don’t. We try and succeed. We try and fail. We dream big dreams and fill our hearts with hope. We cry broken tears, full of doubt and pain. We worship, praise, and love. We are self-absorbed, and selfish, and ashamed. We worry that we talk too little or too much.
All along the way God continues to call us to Himself, right where we are. When we accept him as our Lord and Savior we are covered in the purifying blood of Jesus, pure, whole, redeemed. We are vessels, used on this earth to serve the purpose of a holy and wonderful God. The best and the worst of the Adams, Eves, Abrahams, Sarahs, Hagars, … could be found in any one of our stories, “for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.”
Oh, Lord, help me to live humbly before you, thankful, worshipful, serving, living and loving to glorify you. Thank you for being El Roi, the God who sees me and Jehovah Jireh the Lord who provides. El Shaddai all powerful and sufficient. El Elyon creator God most high. Jehavoah Shalom, my God of peace. Jehovah Rohi my Shepherd and Immanuel God.With.Us.
Thank you Lord.
God’s comfort and peace to you. What a beautiful post & tribute to your mother in law.
What a beautiful remembrance! May you and your family be comforted in your loss.
Thank you for sharing! That was beautiful and a great reminder of what life is really about.
Today’s reading hit home to me. Lately I have been pushing back alot of bitterness thoughts. I am a single mom to two beautiful boys and I must admit sometimes I see families where theres a husband and I think to myself why don’t I deserve to have a husband who honors me like her. I look at families in these gorgeous homes and think why can’t my boys and I live in that. My bitterness and jealousy has gotten the best of me but thankfully through a lot of prayer and reading God’s word I am reassured that these things are just that things and I must trust God and be grateful for what I have. I must say anytime I am feeling some type of sinful way God always seems to deliver the perfect message in his word. For that I am truly grateful.
***led, not lead!
Hello friends,
I’m trying to imagine what it felt like to be Sarah right now. To have thought that Hagar’s child was the child of promise for 13 years, and then to be specially appointed as a 90 year old barren woman to bring forth the real child of promise. Imagine, to be blessed especially by God, chosen to be the mother of nations, and a new name, too! At 90! Only the God of the impossible could build a nation on this foundation–to God be the glory!
Through Sarah’s laugh, I see a struggle with unbelief (“This is too fantastic!”) which lead to fear at the reprimand, which lead to lying. One sin often cascades into many. Our merciful God rebuked her, yet she was still blessed with the pleasure of a child in her old age. In her culture, she would have been seen as a failure to not have provided children for her husband, yet the barren wife has become the bearer of the miracle child of promise through the plan of God. My take-away: When things seem past HOPE, remember we have a God of HOPE, and HOPE anyway!
HOPE: this is really good to remember. God does seemingly impossible things.
Yes! It is so easy to say you know God can do anything but to put faith into action and to actually believe is a whole other thing. This is a great reminder that God can do anything! Literally the impossible even today! Even that situation where you might laugh in your head and say no way! I cast out any doubt in my heart and choose to believe in God’s ability not my own.
Wow! I needed this today. I’m betting I wouldn’t have liked Sarah and Abraham much. I’m thinking my husband and I would have sat on our porch sipping coffee and talked about how much and in which ways they were failing. Yet God was using them. How often am I willing to write people off or dismiss them as
I know this is about Sarah, but what stood out to me was that Abraham assumes is “the fear of God is not in this place.” On a recent missions trip God reminded me not to underestimate His work where I was. Regardless, how often to do we assume someone is beyond reaching or has no fear of the Lord only to find out God is working and we have missed an opportunity to help them grow or encourage or even ruin our testimony as Abraham did? I just thought it was interesting. I love how God works despite our merit or perception and He’s always working in the unseen gardens and places of our hearts.
Why did God have Abraham marry his sister which goes against Leviticus 18:9 and 18:11?
If the first born of the first wife is so important why was David ‘s son Solomon (The son of the wife from sin and far from first wife) made king?
God stepped in to prevent Abimelech from becoming father of Sarah’s child by closing the wombs of every woman in the kingdom!
Good questions…Abraham and Sarah’s marriage was prior to the law being given, and David/Bathsheba’s firstborn (child of sin) actually died (see 2samuel 12). Solomon was another example of God’s redeeming love and goodness
Many people are saying what I’m thinking in my head. Like wow— I didn’t know so about Abraham and Sarah’s sinful nature. And I could write a whole list and then boom— All we see is how they sinned. No idea about the other 80% ish of their life which wasn’t documented. Don’t know their prayer life. Don’t know how they served and what happened in their private life which made me stop judging them. And on top of that, am I so perfect that I’ve never sinned? Nope.
Love these thoughts! So true!
I just noticed that the story of Abimelech falls between God’s promise & fulfillment of the promise. Abraham basically sent Sarah to have sex with Abimelech. He was in serious danger of usurping God’s promise; what if Abimelech impregnated Sarah?! I wonder if this is why God swiftly stepped in. He was not going to allow another Hagar situation to arise.
I love this interpretation! I hadn’t thought about this.
I actually don’t read the passage that way. It seems to parallel an earlier passage where Abraham lies about Sarah because he was afraid that he would be killed and she would be taken from him by Pharaoh. Abraham didn’t send her to Abimelech. Abimelech sent for Sarah. Because, he believed she was Abraham’s sister. Calling her his sister was to protect his life and hers. Not because he intentionally sent her to have sex with Abimelech.
This is more about Abraham not trusting God to protect them than anything else.
I saw that too. Abraham might have been doing it to protect himself but the fact was at the time it was very likely she would have been taken to have sex. BUT GOD… stepped in and upheld his promise for Sarah to have Abraham’s son…his chosen line.
Great word this mornin! Thank god the covenant is rooted in gods grace and sovereignty.
“I can’t tell the weeds from the future blooms and the hours I’ve spent trying to cultivate a garden seem fruitless…” This is me today but this story gives me such hope that the growth will happen and that I will one day see it. Thank you for this.
I too love this metaphor. We don’t know what God will do with all the seeds we have planted. I know he will fulfill his purposes on my life!
Sarah hits home for me. I remember longing for a child and feeling forgotten. I remember doubting God’s goodness, a trap so many of us fall into time and time again, especially when things aren’t going the way we think they should. God provided a son for me at 37, and another at 40. I’m old and tired, and I have a hard time keeping up with them sometimes. But they are a constant reminder that God knows what He’s doing, that His plan — whether seemingly delayed or not at all what we imagined— is perfect and good and always in love. I saw much of myself in Sarah this morning. Praying for a heart that remembers His goodness, His sovereignty, His unfailing compassions. Praying for a heart that defaults to trust.
Oh Geez, if I’m not a Sarah ! Jealousy, bitterness, privilege, and entitlement. I’d love to say thats not me but I would be lying!
Posted to early lol. Our capitalist society pushed us to do more, be more, and obtain more, but thats not what our faith teaches us. It’s easy to get swept up in modern life achievements and let all the bad feels seep in. But our Lord is faithful. He’s always there. We don’t have to perform for his love and forgiveness. Thank you Lord for your faithfulness. Thank you Lord for never giving up on Us. Thank your forgiveness.
I’m blessed simply by reading everyone’s posts. I have a question and would appreciate feedback – v18 states the wombs of the women in Abimelech were closed on account of Sarah. Why? Was it bc of her bitterness and disbelief?
I think it would have been because God was protecting Sarah even when Abraham would not, since Abimelech seemed to have the intent of taking Sarah as his own wife/concubine/or whatever else was acceptable to him. So God closed the wombs of his people until this wrong was made right. I wonder if God had Abraham pray this prayer so that he might see the severe consequences of his passive actions?
Wondering the timeline of this also? If he closed the wombs was Sarah with him for an extended period of time?
That’s what I was wondering as well. It had to be. She was obviously still a very beautiful woman at 90 to be desired by the king.
I’m just grateful that God is faithful even when we are not!
Amen!
I was thinking the same thing! Abraham and Sarah did some things that make me squirm and think think they were not very nice people! To be abusive towards a servant girl who you forced to sleep with your husband! Ugh! But sometimes I do sinful, ugly things too. Thankful that God uses us despite ourselves and our imperfections and sinfulness for His glory!
Thanks you Churchmouse……” Today I’m praying that I get out of His way, that I repent of my poor choices and bad attitudes and that I acknowledge His sovereignty over my way too human life. May He use me, this imperfect vessel, for His purpose, to His glory. Amen”.
“The culture of God’s kingdom is not anchored in merit or entitlement, but rather in the goodness and faithfulness of God.” This was so poignant to me this morning and a perspective that I need to be reminded of daily. My place in the kingdom has nothing to do with me and my achievements, but rather is all about Him and His love and grace. Amen!
So well said!
“The culture of God’s kingdom is anchored neither in merit nor in entitlement, but in the
In reading additional commentaries on this story, I came across this point that resonated strongly with me as I can think of many times when I have laughed at a notion that God calls me to. Help me in my times of disbelief dear God and may I cling to your promises and goodness always.
“Whether we laugh out loud or in our hearts, God always hears us. The LORD promised Abraham a son through his wife Sarah, and despite their disbelief, God did not break His promise. People are free to believe or not believe, but God’s plans never change.” (from Liz Kanoy in Crosswalk)
I love that last line!
Had I lived next door to Abraham and Sarah, I’m not sure I would have liked them very much. Abraham’s use of Hagar (yes, use because I wouldn’t call it a relationship). His apparent affection for Ishmael, yet rejection of him and his mother. His lying/deception about his marital status to Abimelech to save his own skin. Sarah’s lying about something so trivial as a chuckle. Her despicable jealousy and treatment of Hagar and Ishmael. In my mind, Abraham and Sarah are not very nice people.
BUT GOD had plans and a promise for them and their descendants and that was very good. The Bible provides these accounts with great specificity, leaving out none of the human failings along the way. This gives me hope. God can use me in spite of myself. He knows that I tend to scoff, to disbelieve, to promote myself, to take matters into my own hands, to overreact, to be jealous. I can be a not nice person. BUT GOD can and will still work through me to accomplish His purpose and fulfill His plan. We imperfect humans are the vessels He chooses. Not because we are good but because we are who He has. Today I’m praying that I get out of His way, that I repent of my poor choices and bad attitudes and that I acknowledge His sovereignty over my way too human life. May He use me, this imperfect vessel, for His purpose, to His glory. Amen.
I love this take on it. Some days all I can see are my flaws so to really look at the people in this text and see how despite their flaws they had a place truly does give me hopw
So grateful that God’s word provides these accounts of sinful, disobedient, in desperate need of a Savior people. Otherwise, how would I ever relate to them.
Well said Churchmouse
So appreciate what you add!
Well said, amen! God uses the broken / imperfect. He doesn’t care about our attitudes but this is a wake up call to try and check myself simply out of respect for the great God we serve. His word is proven true regardless of what we do!
Amen!
I agree wholeheartedly. I too have doubted, lied, and been unkind to others, but this study of Sarah reminds me that we don’t earn a place in God’s plans – he chooses us irregardless of merit.