Genesis 17: ¹⁵ Then God said to Abraham, “Regarding Sarai, your wife—her name will no longer be Sarai. From now on her name will be Sarah. ¹⁶ And I will bless her and give you a son from her! Yes, I will bless her richly, and she will become the mother of many nations. Kings of nations will be among her descendants.”

¹⁷ Then Abraham bowed down to the ground, but he laughed to himself in disbelief. “How could I become a father at the age of 100?” he thought. “And how can Sarah have a baby when she is ninety years old?” ¹⁸ So Abraham said to God, “May Ishmael live under your special blessing!”

¹⁹ But God replied, “No—Sarah, your wife, will give birth to a son for you. You will name him Isaac, and I will confirm my covenant with him and his descendants as an everlasting covenant. ²⁰ As for Ishmael, I will bless him also, just as you have asked. I will make him extremely fruitful and multiply his descendants. He will become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. ²¹ But my covenant will be confirmed with Isaac, who will be born to you and Sarah about this time next year.” ²² When God had finished speaking, he left Abraham.

 

 

so this is when abraham is 99 and the bible says his body is dead.. and there is no viagra... and sarah is past the age of bearing children which means menopause has come and gone... now if you realize it... abraham was 75 the first time God told him about the promised son... and God took to long so they waited then went about playing God and producing ishmael with hagar...

 

to me... when you read this.. abraham laughed to himself in disbelief.. thinking how could I become a father at this age? how can sarah have a baby at 90... so he says to God... let ishmael live under this promise... and God tells him it is not ishmael...

 

so it sounds to me like abraham had given up on the promise... like he no longer believed he would have the child promised with sarah... yet God still comes through on the promise He made.. because God is faithful even when we are not... does it require believing in something for it to come to pass? I really don't know... I used to think so.. but this looks as if abraham had quit expecting it.. quit believing for it... so maybe.. God will cause His promises to happen regardless of us going along with Him... I pray that is the truth...

 

now this is not the same thing (to me) as my faith in God... I know God is my God.. that He is my Father.. that He will take care of me.. protect me.. provide for me... love me... I don't doubt any of these things of God.. ever... I have seen Him do amazing things as far as taking care of me and providing for me... I think abraham was much like me.. God said He would give the land to the descendants.. so he figured God must have been talking about ishmael and that abraham misunderstood when he heard God talking about a child with sarah... but he still followed God.. he still trusted God and loved Him and kept His commandments... still worshipped and prayed and sacrificed to Him... truly I still know God has a good future for me.. there is no question to me in that... and even if every day went on like today... my days are good... I am happy... I don't have alot of troubles and despair... I guess all I can do.. or all any of us can do... is to keep walking forward... keep believing in God Himself.. and trust for today and tomorrow too... to be obedient to what He has said to us... whatever things He has told us to do... be obedient and faithful and one day... whatever is supposed to happen.. will happen... because God is faithful ALL the time!