For these weeks leading up to Easter, we are studying how God works miracles out of nothing.
Reading for this week: Hebrews 11:8-11
“Is anything too hard for the Lord?” ~Genesis 18:14
Out of an unbelieving family, God called Abraham to be the father of all believers. Out of the old, barren womb of Abraham’s wife, Sarah, God promised a child. Out of nothing came generations, nations, kings, and blessings upon blessings.
Even though God promised to work a miracle through Abraham and Sarah, they laughed because they believed what God had promised was impossible. But their laughter was not from joy. It was from cynicism and doubt.
Abraham laughed and said, “Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old?” Sarah also laughed and asked, “After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure [in a child]?”
But God replied to their laughter with his own laughter, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?”
God forgave their mistakes, he worked through their limited understanding, and he brought forth a son from the empty womb of Sarah.
As she looked in amazement at the baby boy in her arms, she said, “God has made laughter for me.”
Praise God that when he chooses to work his greatest miracles, he does not require our understanding. He can work through our cynicism and doubt. And in his mercy, he can bring joyful laughter into a life that otherwise had nothing.
Dear God, I am able to do nothing, yet you have chosen to work through me, even when I get in the way or stumble. Thank you for your forgiveness and steadfast love. Amen.
God called forth a nation out of an empty womb. From that nation would come a Savior for all nations. Let’s read about Abraham and Sarah’s story this week.
Day 2 – Genesis 12:1-4; Genesis 15:1-6
Day 3 – Genesis 16:1-3; 15-16
Day 4 – Genesis 17:15-21
Day 5 – Genesis 18:9-14; Genesis 21:1-7