Genesis 21:1-7: a reflection

1The LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did to Sarah as he had spoken. 2Sarah conceived, and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. 3Abraham called his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac. 4Abraham circumcised his son, Isaac, when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. 5Abraham was one hundred years old when his son, Isaac, was born to him. 6Sarah said, “God has made me laugh. Everyone who hears will laugh with me.” 7She said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? For I have borne him a son in his old age.”

After long years of waiting and against all natural possibility, God fulfills his promise to Abraham and Sarah, giving them a son in their old age, at the very time he had appointed, and turning their barrenness to joy and laughter. The LORD visited Sarah as he had said, the account records, and did to Sarah as he had spoken; Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken. And Sarah said, God has made me laugh. What God had promised, though long delayed and humanly impossible, he brought to pass at the set time, turning barrenness and waiting into joy. This shows that God fulfills his promise at the appointed time, turning barrenness to joy. God fulfills his promise at the appointed time. What God promised, though long delayed, he brought to pass. God turned barrenness and long waiting into joy. God keeps his word, even when its fulfillment seems impossible.

Notice how God fulfilled his promise: at the set time he had appointed, and in a way that turned long barrenness and waiting into joy. Abraham and Sarah had waited many years; Sarah was well past the age of childbearing; by every natural reckoning, the promise of a son was impossible. And yet God did as he had spoken, at the very time he had appointed; Sarah conceived and bore a son. What had been barrenness became fruitfulness; what had been long, hard waiting became joy and laughter. God has made me laugh, Sarah said. This reveals something about God's faithfulness to his promises. God keeps his word, even when its fulfillment is long delayed and seems humanly impossible; he fulfills his promises at the time he has appointed, not always our time, but his own set time. And his fulfillment can turn our barrenness, our long and hard waiting, into joy. We can hold onto God's promises even through long delay and apparent impossibility, trusting that he will fulfill them at the appointed time, and that his fulfillment can turn our waiting into joy. God fulfills his promises at his appointed time, not always ours. What seems long-delayed and impossible, God can still fulfill. God can turn our barrenness and waiting into joy. Hold onto God's promises through delay, trusting his set time.

That is worth resting in, for God fulfills his promises at the appointed time, even when long delayed and humanly impossible, and can turn our barrenness and waiting into joy, as he gave Abraham and Sarah a son in their old age. We can give up on God's promises when they are long delayed and seem impossible; but God fulfilled his promise to Abraham and Sarah at the set time, turning their barrenness to laughter. God keeps his word at his appointed time. When God's promises seem long-delayed and impossible, hold onto them, trusting he will fulfill them at the right time and turn waiting to joy. Hold onto God's promises even through long delay and apparent impossibility, trusting that he fulfills them at his appointed time and can turn barrenness and waiting into joy, as God, after long years of waiting and against all natural possibility, fulfilled his promise to Abraham and Sarah, giving them a son in their old age at the very time he had appointed, so that Sarah, once barren and long past childbearing, said, God has made me laugh; for what God had promised, though long delayed and humanly impossible, he brought to pass at the set time, turning barrenness and hard waiting into joy and laughter, which reveals God's faithfulness to his promises, since he keeps his word even when its fulfillment is long delayed and seems impossible, fulfilling it at the time he has appointed, not always our time but his own, and his fulfillment can turn our barrenness and long waiting into joy, so that we can hold onto God's promises through delay and apparent impossibility, trusting that he will fulfill them at the appointed time and turn our waiting into joy.

Lord, after long years of waiting and against all natural possibility, you fulfill your promise to Abraham and Sarah, giving them a son in their old age, at the very time you had appointed, and turning their barrenness to joy and laughter. The LORD visited Sarah as he had said, the account records, and did to Sarah as he had spoken; Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken. And Sarah said, God has made me laugh. What you had promised, though long delayed and humanly impossible, you brought to pass at the set time. This shows that you fulfill your promise at the appointed time, turning barrenness to joy. Show me how you fulfilled your promise: at the set time you had appointed, and in a way that turned long barrenness and waiting into joy. Abraham and Sarah had waited many years; by every natural reckoning, the promise of a son was impossible. And yet you did as you had spoken, at the very time you had appointed. What had been barrenness became fruitfulness; what had been long, hard waiting became joy and laughter. This reveals something about your faithfulness to your promises. You keep your word, even when its fulfillment is long delayed and seems impossible; you fulfill your promises at the time you have appointed, not always my time, but your own set time. And your fulfillment can turn my barrenness, my long and hard waiting, into joy. Take that to my heart, for you fulfill your promises at the appointed time and can turn barrenness and waiting into joy. When your promises seem long-delayed and impossible, keep me from giving up on them; help me hold onto them, Lord, trusting that you will fulfill them at the right time, as you did for Abraham and Sarah, and turn my waiting into joy.