Greetings!

Yesterday, as I read excerpts from the Old Testament book of Genesis, via the lens of an aging Abraham, and his equally elderly wife, Sarah, it occurred to me that God’s deep understanding of the human condition, is upheld by a wry sense of divine humour.

Throughout Scripture – from Genesis to Revelation, and even within the Apocryphal writings – it is clear, for those willing to see, that God is not a distant creator observing the universe from afar. Rather, God is the hands–on, deeply involved Sustainer who yearns for the welfare of all creation, especially humanity, into whose very being He lovingly breathed His divine image. There is no doubting the Father’s love-filled heart, revealed in Jesus Christ with unmistakable tenderness, for the salvation of the world. What a God!

So yes, reading again the story of Abraham and Sarah, in Genesis 18, I was struck by Abraham’s hospitality. Unaware, he entertains heavenly beings…angels who make a prophetic announcement, a promise so astonishing that Sarah can scarcely hold back a burst of incredulous laughter. Now, if you are in your late sixties, as I am, or perhaps older, or even a little younger, you would understand how readily I identify with dear Sarah’s very human response to the news of her bearing a child.

Let us be honest; at their age, Abraham and Sarah were likely content to simply share the comfort of each other’s presence and nothing more, if you get my meaning; but God, with whom nothing is impossible, would not only have the final word – He would most certainly have the last laugh!

But let me move beyond the impossibility of trying to comprehend the mind of the ultimate and infinite One, to share what this story stirred in me as I read it again. Somehow, something beyond the miracle of two elderly people, well past their prime, and physical childbearing years, receiving the promise of new life, moved my heart ever so gently.

I was struck by the realization that, through this story, God was calling forth within me, after all this time, the miracle of bringing to life and ultimately to birth, the gift and blessing of trusting His gracious goodness! God was inviting me to allow Him to do immeasurably more than I could ask or even imagine (cf. Ephesians 3:20), especially when circumstances suggest otherwise, or appear to be pointing in a direction, with the bold sign – IMPOSSIBLE – looming largely before me.

To be sure, Sarah’s incredulous reaction, mirrors mine on many occasions. If I am to be honest, there have been times when I have acted as if some situations are even beyond the reach of divine possibility. What settled in my spirit as I read the story, therefore, is that openness to God, affirming belief in His sovereignty, is to embrace a vocation which has at its core, total surrender of the self with all its idiosyncrasies. This speaks to the kind of unrestrained trust which moves us beyond what our finite minds find it difficult to perceive, and into the realm of divine possibility.

What I am trying almost desperately to articulate, friend, is that a life surrendered to God is governed by divine – not worldly – standards. Therefore, even when we cannot form a clear mental image, let alone explain the reality of what the Spirit has deposited within us, we must keep believing…we must keep trusting the One who calls into being things that are not, as though they were (see Romans 4:17).

I sometimes laugh at the thought, but there have been times when because of my penchant for not trusting, I feel like a direct descendant of the Hebrews, what with all the ways God has been present with, and provided for me. Whenever the way ahead seems dark, and the road ahead appears too steep to climb, my first instinct is often to search for a way around the challenge, before stilling my soul and listening for what God, through the Spirit, may be revealing. This very familiar Genesis reading, therefore, was like a bolt of lightning, jolting me from scepticism, and setting me upon the solid rock of God-possibilities, which are mine, if only I would let go, and let God be God.

As I share these thoughts, it also occurred to me that there may be more for me to do in retirement than I did during my years of active ministerial employment. This “more,” however, is not about quantity or busyness; heaven knows I definitely do not need any more of these two. The more to which I am referring is about depth and quality; about allowing God to lead while I follow, not with anxious questions, but with a heart open to embracing the wonder-filled joy of the adventure.

Perhaps Sarah’s laughter is not so far removed from your own reaction, under similar circumstances. Perhaps it is the honest sound of human limitation meeting with divine promise. Perhaps, in that meeting, God is inviting you, me, us, to trust that His purposes are still unfolding – even when they arrive in ways we never expected.

Until next time, stay safe and well in HIS grip.

Grace+