Christ Manifested in Us—Part 1Sample

God’s Timing

After Abraham and his wife, Sarah, received God's promise of a son, they waited for him for many years. When the years passed and nothing happened, Sarah came up with an idea. Because something was preventing her from bearing a child, she thought Abraham should have a child with her slave, Hagar. This way they could have a child the son God had promised them. Abraham agreed with Sarah. She thought their plan would make God’s promise a reality, but this was not God's plan. 

Abraham and Sarah continued to age until the time came when they could not conceive. Sarah’s womb was no longer fertile and Abraham was already an old man. God had to speak life into Abraham’s body. He had to produce a miracle. When they no longer had any chance in their strength to produce God’s promise, when they were aware that it was impossible to have a child by the strength of man, then God said, “Now, I can produce the son of promise that they may know that it was not through their strength but my promise, through my work.”

Many people want to bring about God's promises in their lives through their efforts. They do many rituals, fasts, and vigils; they kneel for long hours, attend a certain kind of meeting every day, or go to events hosted by famous people—as if any of these things could produce the life that God promised to give them! 

People are longing for that life in the Spirit. In their waiting, they strive for the transformation God speaks of, having the Son genuinely living through their lives. But it is not until people realize and say, “It's impossible. I can’t do it myself. I’ve done everything and I can’t do it.” That’s when God can work, because it is not the work of frail human flesh—it is God’s work. 

We just have to wait.