Promised Of God: Traveling With Unmet ExpectationsSýnishorn

Promised Postures- Reactions Matter

We’re almost to the end of our journey with Abraham, but there’s one more tidbit of truth I wanted to ferret out from our sojourner. Actually it’s more from his wife, Sarah. Often within the wait of God’s timing we have a variety of emotions. Not unlike the grief cycle, when faced with waiting with great expectations we experience anger, frustration, denial, sadness, resentment, even incredulity. We question if we heard God correctly, if our faith just isn’t strong enough to bring the promise about (thankfully our actions have nothing to do with it!), if God has forgotten us, if He even cares anymore, if He’s changed His divine mind (which, let’s be honest, is His prerogative to do!) 

We see other’s stepping into seasons of growth, abundance, approval, prosperity, and blessing and often find ourselves questioning if somehow God hit the wrong person with the promises-arrow. Sometimes we come soclose to the promised thing that we can touch it, taste it, or smell it… only to have it pulled back again. We see another hill on the horizon we have to travel up, or another bog that God is leading us down into and we lament our decision to follow His calling. For some, years into our call we are still no closer to our destination than when we first started. Indeed, too often our paths look like that Family Circus cartoon… and we feel used, forgotten, toyed with, and foolish to believe such promises.

Sarah and Abraham did too. Take a look at some of their questions to God’s repeated promises in Genesis 17 and 18 in today’s reading. 

What particular emotion/action do you see both parties doing here? 

What emotion do you suppose they had to God’s repeated promise? 

What is the difference in the physical posture of each laugh?

I imagine there was no small amount of sheer frustration on Abraham’s part, he was facedown in his chuckle to God. Sarah had an altogether different response. Same laugh, but this one in secret, incredulous, under her breath. Fortunately for both, Adonai didn’t smite them right then and there for doubting Him. Fortunately for us all right? For we are all guilty of the same thing. How often our posture around God changes and how often it matches what the beating of our hearts is! We give ourselves away so obviously. Like wearing your heart on your sleeve, our posture belies no less attitude of our hearts. Be it anger, resentment, incredulity, or happiness, our posture in front (or behind) God can tell a lot about the state of our souls.

Fast forward, a year passes, Sarah is now ninety years old and births a son! God’s promise is now a living, breathing, tangible miracle in her arms. Against all odds, nature, and age God has come through in a big way. 

We see laughing again, but now it is altogether different emotion. Happiness, joy, awe. In fact, the elderly woman named this son “he laughs”- Isaac… the promised son for a new nation. I imagine our new parents jumped for joy and twirled around with awe-struck glee at what God had done in their lives. Their posture changed once more. 

Have you ever laughed at God? Why? What were the circumstances? What was your posture?

To circle back around and close out our original loop, we need to hook this final story of our devotion back into what God is doing. God works in promises. All throughout Abraham and Sarah’s story we’ve seen the hand of the Almighty heavy with promises to his beloved. God has planned a calling and promises over your life too dear one. He constructed the pathways of your life long before you were born, and like Abraham… your promises very likely will have future implications for many coming generations. Your life is heavy with great expectation. Your calling is ripe to walk in.

So when you feel your posture rising up in frustration, bewilderment at what God’s calling you to, or even downright fear to take that next step into unknown territory, be reminded of what God asked a barren, old, incredulous Sarah. He’s got His own set of questions for us during these times.

The answer is no. His promises will stand. He is faithful to keep what He called you to.