Words of Wisdom

Week 36 

DEAD HOPE LIVES AGAIN
 


Read Genesis 18: 9 - 15


FOCUS

Sarah is the wife of Abraham, the man God chooses to be the father of many nations. This promise includes Sarah, for God has said that she will be the mother of Abraham's offspring. All her child-bearing life, she hopes, waits, prays and pleads for this promise to be fulfilled. She lives with this hope until it becomes a dead hope. Look at Sarah as this dead hope is about to be touched. See how she refuses to be hurt again, or to even want that subject mentioned. Just look at how this woman, who sees herself  as "..worn out.." simply will not have her dead hope touched. It is secretly and sacredly buried in the deep grave of her grief-stricken and disappointed heart.

"  I will return to you about this time next year, and Sarah, your wife will have a son."(verse 10b)

This is most heartless and painful for Sarah to hear. Why bring up this disappointment at this time? Why touch her deeply hidden dead hope? Why intrude upon her most sacred, deep place of pain and utter hopelessness? She has been managing quite well without this. Why bring it up now? Why?



FACTS

  • Sarah is old, but she is still loved by her husband Abraham.
  • She is old, but still useful, for Abraham seeks her, no other, to make her bread for his very special guests.
  • She is old, but still quick on her feet. Notice how she's able to knead flour and make bread and be quick about it.
  • She is old, but still able to manage her household effectively.

Although Sarah is still a capable and useful person, her old age has brought the death of her life-long hope.

 

FREEDOM

Whether male or female, are you as a Sarah? For long, you have carried hope, a dream and waited, praying, longing, holding on without any fulfillment. They have not been realized and now it's too late. Nature shouts loudly and shows clearly that you are "worn out". You bury these dead hopes down within your heart and guard them fiercely.You continue living and functioning normally, even efficiently, but you carry a sacred  untouchable grave within you.
Suddenly, when you think that your secret is safe and secure, Almighty God, in His unconventional ways, touches your sacred tomb. He enters, and you will have none of it. Why cause painful hopes to rise again? Why come into your sacred tomb? But the Lord speaks, for He hears your unbelieving, doubting, painful, skeptical laugh. He hears and sees you and asks one question.

" Is anything too hard for the Lord? " (verse 14a)

Maybe you too are afraid of having you dead hopes tampered with. Maybe the evidence is plain and clear that your dreams are as good as dead . That may be perfectly true according to our natural ways. But God does what is unnatural to us humans.
May you be free to accept the resurrection of your dead and buried dream or hope, in the no longer dead and buried Jesus. Exactly what is it that is too hard for God to do in your life? Christ is your hope!  Live again!