Category: Digging Deeper

When he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them. And he stood by them under the tree while they ate. They said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “She is in the tent.”  The LORD said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him.

⁴ Then the Lord said to him, “No, your servant will not be your heir, for you will have a son of your own who will be your heir.” ⁵ Then the Lord took Abram outside and said to him, “Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That’s how many descendants you will have!”

Genesis 18:8-10 (ESV)

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WHEN GOD ASKS QUESTIONS

 

As Abraham’s three visitors sit down to eat, they (led by the pre-incarnate Christ) ask the patriarch where his wife is. The moment is important for at least two reasons. First, the Divine identity of the visitor is hinted at. He calls Abraham’s wife by her name (note also that he uses her new name, Sarah) which, being a stranger, he would otherwise not know. It would be uncustomary to inquire about the wife of his host if he had not been there for the purpose of discussing the promise concerning her. Second, he asks where Sarah is, knowing the answer already. He, being God, is not ignorant as to her whereabouts. God knows where Sarah is. In fact, we see that he even knows what she is thinking, for he addresses the thoughts that she had “within herself” from a distance (v.12). Then why does He ask? In asking, he makes occasion for her to draw near and to consider what she believes about Him.

 

The scene harkens back to the events after the fall in the Garden of Eden. When Adam and Eve hid from God after their disobedience, He asks them, “Where are you?” (Gen 3:9). The question is a sort of summons to appear before the Lord, which is in itself an act of grace. Pay attention when God asks you questions. The answers are not for Him – He learns nothing new in obtaining an answer. Rather, we are the beneficiaries of giving the account. The questions are put forth to give us an opportunity for self-examination. Has God been asking you questions and, if so, what does the response tell you about yourself?

 

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Ryan Hoffer serves as NextGen Production Director at NorthStar. He holds an M.Div in Church History and enjoys playing the harp. He and his wife, Tiffany, live in Acworth and have three children.

Some time later, the Lord spoke to Abram in a vision and said to him, “Do not be afraid, Abram, for I will protect you, and your reward will be great.”

² But Abram replied, “O Sovereign Lord, what good are all your blessings when I don’t even have a son? Since you’ve given me no children, Eliezer of Damascus, a servant in my household, will inherit all my wealth. ³ You have given me no descendants of my own, so one of my servants will be my heir.”

⁴ Then the Lord said to him, “No, your servant will not be your heir, for you will have a son of your own who will be your heir.” ⁵ Then the Lord took Abram outside and said to him, “Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That’s how many descendants you will have!”

Genesis 15:1-5 (NLT)

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AS HE HAD SAID AND AS HE HAD PROMISED

 

There are places in the Holy Writ where truth is spoken with such blatant honesty as to unravel the theological complexities we’ve constructed to explain the behavior of God. For example, when Daniel’s companions tell Nebuchadnezzar that God can rescue them from the furnace, they add, “But even if he doesn’t…we will never serve your gods” (Dan 3:18; NLT). In making this assertion, they affirm the sovereignty of God in a way that is breathtakingly uncomplicated. That is, even if it is not His will to save them, He is still good and trustworthy.

 

Another such moment occurs after Joseph reveals his identity to his brothers. He exclaims, “you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.” So much is resolved in that short statement that a great many have subsequently endured evil only to discover it repurposed by God.

 

A statement of equal profundity occurs at the birth of Isaac in Genesis 21: “The LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did to Sarah as he had promised” (Gen 21:1). Here is, again, a moment of stark clarity about the truthfulness of God – He does what he says He will do and keeps His promises. The text is constructed in such a way as to deliver that truth as simply as possible. One commentator puts it like this, “The language of [Moses] seems designedly chosen to magnify the power of God…”

 

Be encouraged today that God does what He says He will do – simply put.

 

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Ryan Hoffer serves as NextGen Production Director at NorthStar. He holds an M.Div in Church History and enjoys playing the harp. He and his wife, Tiffany, live in Acworth and have three children.

9 “Where is Sarah, your wife?” the visitors asked. “She’s inside the tent,” Abraham replied. 10 Then one of them said, “I will return to you about this time next year, and your wife, Sarah, will have a son!” Sarah was listening to this conversation from the tent. 11 Abraham and Sarah were both very old by this time, and Sarah was long past the age of having children.

Genesis 18:9-11 (NLT)

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HOPE DEFERRED MAKES THE HEART SICK

 

When Isaac is born Abraham is 100 and Sarah is 90 years old. When we pick up with Abraham sitting in his tent in Genesis 18, he is 99 years old. Twenty-four years prior to this moment he had received a promise that God would “make of [him] a great nation” (12:2) and that his “offspring” (12:4) would inherit the land of Canaan. Twenty-four years – not a short passage of time. After ten years he had perhaps grown incredulous, for in Chapter 15 he questions God, saying, “O Lord GOD, what will you give me, for I continue childless…” (15:2). His use of the phrase “I continue” (literally “go” or “walk”) indicates his growing discomfort at the passage of ten years of delayed expectation. On that occasion, however, the Lord, full of tender-hearted mercy, not only reassures Abraham, but makes a covenant with him. This is when the famous statement is made of the patriarch, “And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness” (15:6). Yet nine more years pass until we arrive at this moment in Genesis 18 when the Lord visits Abraham to reassure him yet again, this time with a specificity that the time is at hand. Twenty-five years in total would elapse between God’s promise and the delivery of Isaac.

 

Proverbs 13:12 says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.” Abraham must have known how this felt. After all, he and Sarah tried to force the promise by using her maidservant Hagar as a surrogate and welcoming a son in Ishmael. But God’s timeline is not ours, and his promises can be trusted for the duration of their fulfillment.

 

How long have you waited on God with a petition? A week? Six months? A year? A decade? Are you still waiting? Waiting is not uncommon for the people of God in the Scriptures. In fact, waiting on the Lord is expressed as a great virtue: “The Lord is good to those who wait for Him” (Lam 3:25) and “those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength” (Isa 40:31). It is in the waiting that God is able to do a great work in our hearts. Wherever you are in the waiting, know that “no word from God will ever fail” (Luke 1:37). For this reason, let hope be a present reality instead of a future deferment, trusting that God will accomplish what he set out to do.

 

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Ryan Hoffer serves as NextGen Production Director at NorthStar. He holds an M.Div in Church History and enjoys playing the harp. He and his wife, Tiffany, live in Acworth and have three children.

1 The Lord appeared again to Abraham near the oak grove belonging to Mamre. One day Abraham was sitting at the entrance to his tent during the hottest part of the day. 2 He looked up and noticed three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran to meet them and welcomed them, bowing low to the ground. 3 “My lord,” he said, “if it pleases you, stop here for a while.

Genesis 18:1-3 (NLT)

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THE THREE VISITORS AS THEOPHANY

 

Throughout the Bible, there are appearances of God to humanity. In the study of theology this is known as a theophany. A theophany is an appearance of God in some physical form to His creation. Simply put, it is a visit from God. One of the most famous theophanies in the Old Testament occurs in the scene at Abraham’s tent in Genesis 18:

 

And the LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day.  He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing in front of him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth and said, “O Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant (v.1-3)

 

A few things in the text hint at the divine identity of the visitors: 1) the LORD appears to Abraham; 2) he bows down before his guest; 3) he addresses one as “Lord” (the Hebrew “Adonai” or “Master”); and lastly, 4) when the other two depart for Sodom it says, “Abraham still stood before the Lord” (v.22). The early church fathers understood this theophany as the Son of God accompanied by two angels. Writing in the second century, Irenaeus, bishop of Lyon said this about the visitation in Gen.18, “Abraham was a prophet and saw what was to come to pass in the future, the Son of God in human form that He was to speak with men, and eat food with them, and then to bring down judgement from the Father…” Therefore, not only does this moment serve to deliver the news about the birth of Isaac, but it also foreshadows the incarnation of Christ – the ultimate theophany.

 

Though we are far removed in time and place from this scene under the oaks of Mamre, we have the same opportunity that our father Abraham had to invite our Lord in. He has visited us in Jesus and we can run to receive Him, bow before Him, and dine with Him. Take a moment to invite Him in today saying, “O Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant” (Gen18:3).

 

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Ryan Hoffer serves as NextGen Production Director at NorthStar. He holds an M.Div in Church History and enjoys playing the harp. He and his wife, Tiffany, live in Acworth and have three children.

¹³ But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. ¹⁴ Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. ¹⁵ And count the patience of our Lord as salvation.

2 Peter 3:13-15a (ESV)

 

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LIVING A PATIENT LIFE

 

Waiting patiently, especially during hard times, is not easy. One of my favorite lines from a movie is from the film A League of Their Own. Tom Hanks plays a crusty old baseball manager assigned to coach a women’s baseball team during WWII. When one of the players complains about things being too difficult, he replies, “It’s supposed to be hard. If it were easy, everyone would do it.” I think that should be our attitude when facing the valleys in our lives.

Let me explain. We all know people who have suffered some sort of hardship. If we know that they are not a Christian, we often wonder how they survive day-to-day without that assurance of hope that only faith in Jesus can provide. Suffering can bring even the strongest of us to our knees. I know that when I face life’s trials, I pray not only for an end to the suffering, but in the same breath, I pray for God’s will to be done. I ask God to give me the strength to be patient and wait on His timing. That’s where the movie quote comes in –it is hard without God, and if it were easy, we would not need God.

Waiting patiently has its rewards as well. We will not act impetuously as Sarai did, and therefore avoid the “rest of the story.” Jesus, in his Parable of the Soils, says, “As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience” (Lk 8:15). Patient people bear fruit, and just like fruit on the vine, it takes time and patience. The writer of Hebrews reminds us, “So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised” (Heb 10:35-36, NLT).

One final benefit of patience –you present a great model to those around you, and you more closely resemble the image of Christ. Paul (formerly Saul) was a persecutor of the early Christians. Jesus showed perfect patience with him, and when the time was right, he literally blinded him, so that once the scales fell away, the truth was revealed in his heart. Paul remembered, and noted, “But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life” (1 Tim 2:16).

Paul became the model of the patience of Jesus to all whom he encountered. I pray that we as fellow believers can be that same reflection of Jesus when we patiently wait for God’s plan to be revealed. Who knows? Your example of patient perseverance may lead someone to ask you, “How can you be so patient in your suffering?” Just be ready to give the reason for your patient hope (1 Pet 3:15)!

 

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Phil Meade is a father of three, and grandfather of five. He has a Masters in Theological Studies from Liberty University, and lives in Acworth. He has led various small groups throughout his more than 20 years attending NorthStar Church. He recently retired after 33 years as a pilot for Delta Airlines.

 

⁷ The angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur. ⁸ And he said, “Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from my mistress Sarai.” ⁹ The angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress and submit to her.” ¹⁰ The angel of the Lord also said to her, “I will surely multiply your offspring so that they cannot be numbered for multitude.” ¹¹ And the angel of the Lord said to her, “Behold, you are pregnant and shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because the Lord has listened to your affliction. ¹² He shall be a wild donkey of a man, his hand against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he shall dwell over against all his kinsmen.” ¹³ So she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “You are a God of seeing,” for she said, “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.” ¹⁴ Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; it lies between Kadesh and Bered. ¹⁵ And Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. ¹⁶ Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.

Genesis 16:4-7-16 (ESV)

 

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PATIENCE IN SUFFERING

 

Hagar is pregnant with Abram’s child, and has been treated harshly by Abram’s wife, Sarai. Hagar flees the household, and we find her in the wilderness by a spring of water. She is the collateral damage of a plan gone awry, and is not in an ideal place for a pregnant woman. She is visited by the angel of the Lord. In her time of suffering, God shows up. We can all learn from the story of Hagar as we face the mountains in our path.

When Hagar was faced with what looked like an insurmountable obstacle, she ran from it (most likely back toward her homeland of Egypt). However, God had other ideas. The angel of the Lord met her in her desperate situation. He asked her pointedly, “Where are you going?” How many times in our lives have we faced what seems like insurmountable circumstances, and like Hagar (and Jonah for that matter), tried to run from God? It is interesting to note that God finds Hagar by a spring of water, just as Jesus finds the Samaritan woman at a well (offering her living water that only he can provide).

The angel now tells Hagar that there is a plan and a purpose in her suffering. The Lord has listened, and the Lord will protect her. What is amazing in this story is Hagar’s reaction. She (a pagan Egyptian) recognizes that God is in her presence, and that He will look after her. She puts her faith in God.

I think a powerful lesson can be learned from this part of the story. God will show up in the midst of our trials and sufferings. It may not be as recognizable as the angel of the Lord, but He will show up. He has promised us that. Paul said, “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer” (Rom 12:12). God will see us through the hardship, but it will be on His timeline, and by His will. As David so succinctly reminds us, “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him” (Ps 37:7). Be patient in your suffering!

 

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Phil Meade is a father of three, and grandfather of five. He has a Masters in Theological Studies from Liberty University, and lives in Acworth. He has led various small groups throughout his more than 20 years attending NorthStar Church. He recently retired after 33 years as a pilot for Delta Airlines.

 

⁴ And he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, she looked with contempt on her mistress. ⁵ And Sarai said to Abram, “May the wrong done to me be on you! I gave my servant to your embrace, and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked on me with contempt. May the Lord judge between you and me!” ⁶ But Abram said to Sarai, “Behold, your servant is in your power; do to her as you please.” Then Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her.

Genesis 16:4-6 (ESV)

 

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SHORT-CIRCUITING THE PROCESS

 

As we continue the story of Sarai and Abram, keep in mind the old saying, “Be careful what you wish for.” I think a part of Sarai’s plan may have been to hope for a failure to conceive, thus relieving her from some of the guilt she may have been feeling. However, remember that the offspring of Abram and Hagar would be considered the rightful heir of Abram (barring any other legitimate heir born to Sarai), and Sarai would be considered the child (Ishmael’s) mother. What could go wrong? Hagar does in fact conceive, and the plot begins to thicken.

Hagar, a lowly servant, now begins to think of herself as better than her mistress — not exactly what Sarai had in mind. Sarai immediately puts the blame on Abram, and conflict between them arises. David Guzik comments, “Whatever a man or woman attempts to do without God will be a miserable failure – or an even more miserable success.” An heir was conceived, but at what cost? Again, Guzik notes, “This is a good reminder that results are not enough to justify what we do before God. It’s not right to say, ‘Well, they got a baby out of it. It must have been God’s will.’ The flesh profits nothing, but it can produce something. Doing things in the flesh may get results, and we may be sorry we got them.”

Sarai begins to treat Hagar harshly, and Hagar flees. This is the stuff of modern-day soap operas (not that I would ever admit to watching one)! The lack of patience exhibited by Abram and Sarai, and not trusting in the timing of God, has brought strife, pain, and discord into the household. I think we can all agree that waiting patiently for a resolution to our situation is not easy. However, as we can also see in the saga of Abram and Sarai, trying to short-circuit the process in our own way can have disastrous results. I challenge you today to pray for patience, and ask God to strengthen your resolve to, “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord” (Ps 27:14)!

 

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Phil Meade is a father of three, and grandfather of five. He has a Masters in Theological Studies from Liberty University, and lives in Acworth. He has led various small groups throughout his more than 20 years attending NorthStar Church. He recently retired after 33 years as a pilot for Delta Airlines.

 

¹ Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. She had a female Egyptian servant whose name was Hagar. ² And Sarai said to Abram, “Behold now, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children. Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. ³ So, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her servant, and gave her to Abram her husband as a wife. ⁴ And he went in to Hagar, and she conceived.

Genesis 16:1-4a (ESV)

 

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OUR TIMING vs. GOD’S TIMING

 

As we noted yesterday, Sarai has reached the limit of her patience with God. The promised child from which a great nation would arise has not yet arrived. Genesis 16:2 records Sarai telling Abram that God has “prevented me from bearing children.” This is the first indication that Sarai is desperate, and has taken matters into her own hands. She is basically usurping the sovereignty of God, and acting on her own timing.

Sarai feels pain from what seems like an empty promise of God. She feels shame for not being able to bear a child. Deep down inside, she must feel that her prayers have been unanswered, and she probably blames God for her barrenness. All this anger, guilt, and shame push her to consider an option that is not in keeping with God’s plan and timing.

We cannot place all the blame on Sarai. She approaches Abram with her plan to produce an heir through their Egyptian servant, Hagar. Abram does not question the plan, but does as Sarai asks. While this custom of having children with one’s servant (and thereby producing a rightful heir) was not uncommon in ancient times, the decision to proceed was fully made by Sarai and Abram, with no direction from God. They could not wait on God’s timing.

God’s timing, like His very essence, is perfect. Solomon notes, “Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit” (Eccles 7:8). The prophet Habakkuk writes, “For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay” (Hab 2:3).

We do not know the sovereign plans of God, and that is what makes waiting so difficult. But as Solomon notes, waiting patiently will result in a better ending. God’s plan is infallible, and although it may seem slow in unfolding, it will surely come. Alejandra Tash writes, “The time between the promise and the fulfillment is the time God has allotted to create a special provision for this thing that we are waiting for with so much anticipation.”

My challenge for you is to wait patiently on God’s timing in whatever situation you are facing. When you try and speed up the process by taking matters into your own hands, unintended consequences are often the result (as we will see as this story unfolds).

 

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Phil Meade is a father of three, and grandfather of five. He has a Masters in Theological Studies from Liberty University, and lives in Acworth. He has led various small groups throughout his more than 20 years attending NorthStar Church. He recently retired after 33 years as a pilot for Delta Airlines.

 

Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children…

Genesis 16:1 (ESV)

 

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IMPATIENT MAN MEETS PATIENT GOD

 

We live in an impatient world created by a patient God. Webster’s dictionary defines patient as: “bearing pains for trials calmly or without complaint; not hasty or impetuous; steadfast despite opposition, difficulty, or adversity; able or willing to bear.” A cursory glance at the last days of Jesus’ life will give you the perfect picture of patience as described above.

When you read the story of the Jewish people wandering in the desert for 40 years, the one word that often appears is “grumble.” The people were constantly grumbling about their conditions, and patience was a virtue that they had yet to learn. There are many synonyms for the word patient. The ones that stand out have to do with time (enduring, persevering, persistent, untiring), and with attitude (meek, serene, and unruffled). I think we can all safely say that patiently waiting (time) with a calm outlook (attitude) is not one of our strengths (if it is a strength for you, we will all be attending your next seminar on the subject)!

As we pick up the story of Abram and Sarai, it has been ten years since God promised Abram, “I will make of you a great nation,” (Gen 12:2a), and later told him, “‘Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.’ Then he said to him, ‘So shall your offspring be’” (Gen 15:5b). Abram is in his mid-eighties, and Sarai is in her mid-seventies. Not exactly prime child-bearing years. Genesis chapter 16 begins with a simple statement of fact that Sarai is barren. The promise has not yet been fulfilled, and Sarai’s patience is wearing thin. As we journey through Genesis 16 this week, we will see how a lack of patience on one side, and an abundance of patience on the other side, plays out for all of humanity.

God does things in His own timing, for His purpose, and for His glory. The prophet Jeremiah reminds us, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jer 29:11). Peter told his readers, “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (2 Pet 3:9). We should all thank God for that patience!

God has a plan for each of us, fulfilled in His timing. However, our patience is often lacking as we wait for the story to unfold. Paul reminded his readers that, “if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience” (Rom 8:25).

My challenge to each of you this week is to investigate your own life, and strive to wait patiently based on the hope that Paul describes. It will be worth the wait!  

 

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Phil Meade is a father of three, and grandfather of five. He has a Masters in Theological Studies from Liberty University, and lives in Acworth. He has led various small groups throughout his more than 20 years attending NorthStar Church. He recently retired after 33 years as a pilot for Delta Airlines.

 

But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord, how can I know that I will gain possession of it?”

Genesis 15:8 (CSB)

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HOW CAN I KNOW?

 

Here, we find Abram, the father of faith, wrestling with a question that often plagues us all: How can I know? How can I know that the promises of God will come to pass in my life? It’s a question rooted in our human nature and in our desire for certainty in the midst of the uncertain.

God, in His infinite wisdom and love, doesn’t rebuke Abram for his question. Instead, He provides a tangible sign of His covenant faithfulness. He instructs Abram to bring specific animals for a sacrifice. Abram obeys, cutting them in two and arranging the halves opposite each other. 

In those times, when a covenant was made, both parties would walk between the slain animals, symbolically showing that if either broke their side of the agreement, the offending party would suffer the same fate as the animals. Today, in a court, people place their hand on a Bible and swear their testimony is true. 

Similarly, when the smoking pot and the flaming torch passed through the animals, God walked through for both of them, showing that the covenant was dependent on God alone. 

When, like Abram, we ask God, “How can I know?” He responds the same way, swearing by Himself. In Isaiah 45, He says, “There is no other God but me, a righteous God and Savior, there is no one except me. Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth. For I am God, and there is no other. By myself I have sworn; truth has gone from my mouth, a word that will not be revoked …”

If we believe in God for salvation, can we not also trust His call to walk with Him in the new and unknown? He’s not asking us to have it all figured out. He does. He’s simply asking us, “Do you believe? Will you trust Me?” Friends, this is where the rubber meets the road in our faith walk. Our faith will only grow to the degree that we’re willing to follow. He has sworn by Himself to work all the events of our lives together for our good and His glory. Don’t miss the promised land simply because you don’t have all the answers to your questions. 

 

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Sarah Jefferson is married to Curtis and the mother to Grey, Sanders and Collins.  She is a rare Atlanta native, currently living in Acworth. Sarah began her career in public relations in the sports industry. Now, she writes web content for a variety of companies and ministries. When she’s not writing or blogging, you can find her running or hiking the beautiful trails of north Georgia and spending time with her busy family.