Laughing at Their Laughing

I read today about Abram and Sarai being told by God in Genesis 15 through 18 that they would have a Son. In chapter 15, God comes to Abram and starts by saying, "Fear not Abram," and then says this: "I AM". After declaring Himself to Abram, God goes on to make a covenant with Abram and tell of the offspring he will have through a son that God is going to give him. Then, it says in verse six, "And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness."


But then we get to chapter 16 and see that Abram and Sarai aren't quite sure if God knows what He's doing, and so they decide to take matters into their own hands. Abram has a baby with Sarai's servant, Hagar, and thus, the whole Ishmael episode.

Come on dude! Just believe God!

In chapter 17 of Genesis we find God coming to Abram again and declaring who He is by the power of His name saying, "I AM GOD ALMIGHTY". (El Shaddai) God tells Abram (now Abraham) in verse 16 that He is going to give him a son through Sarai (now Sarah). When Abraham hears this, he starts laughing because he doesn't believe that he and his wife, in their old age, could ever have a child.

COME ON DUDE! JUST BELIEVE GOD!


Chapter 18 tells us that God appeared again to Abraham and Sarah. God is sitting outside talking to Abraham and tells him, "A year from now, you guys are going to have a baby." Abraham is starting to get it, but Sarah, listening from inside the tent, starts laughing to herself because she thinks that there just aint no way her and her ancient husband are gonna have a kid.  

COME ON! JUST BELIEVE GOD!

"The LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.” But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh.”
(Genesis 18:13-15)

Yeah, don't try to hide stuff from God... come out with your unbelief and He increase your faith.

See, I read this and see all the stupid stuff that Abraham and Sarah do and it's just so easy when you look at the big picture to say "DUH. Just believe God!" or "DUH. Just do what He says!" It's like watching a football game, seeing one of the players do something wrong and shouting (as if he could hear you) "COME ON! WHY DID YOU JUST DO THAT!" If he saw the the field from the view you had, maybe his actions would have been different.

Then I'm humbled.

If someone were looking at a narrative / big-picture view of my life, how often would they be shouting, "COME ON CODY! Why did you just do that? ... And after God just showed  Himself to you like that? REALLY?" or "CODY! JUST BELIEVE GOD!" Might my story look a lot like Abraham's? Might it look a lot worse...

I need to daily be looking to the Lord, asking Him to increase my faith, to grow me, and give me strength and grace in my weakness. It gives me encouragement to see that despite all the unbelief, laughing, and even Ishmael; God still gave them Isaac. He is faithful when we are faithless, and for that, He is worthy to be praised!

"IS THERE ANYTHING TOO HARD FOR THE LORD?"