The Faith of Sarah

Articles

Derek Long
05/26/19 - Faith

The Faith of Sarah
By Derek Long
Sarah, Abraham’s wife, is listed as another great
example of faith from the Old Testament. Hebrews 11:11 says, “By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised.” Abraham is often used as an example of faith but we do not need to forget about Sarah’s faith either. What are some lessons we can learn from the example of Sarah’s faith?
• Sarah’s faith trusted in the promises of God. Abraham takes Sarah with him to a country God would show him and Sarah goes along with him (Genesis 12:1, 5). Why would Sarah be willing to go with Abraham to an unknown land? Her faith in God’s promises prompted her to obey God’s orders. God promises to make of Abraham a great nation and through his Seed to bless all families of the earth (Genesis 12:2-3). Abraham does not have a child though for several years. God will clarify the promise will be fulfilled by a child named Isaac born to Abraham by Sarah (Genesis 17:19-21). Hebrews 11 shows us Sarah’s faith in God’s promise gave her the strength to conceive a child in her old age. Sarah has Isaac when she is ninety years old (Genesis 17:17), which is a remarkable fact. God fulfilled His promise to Abraham and Sarah even when it looked unlikely to be fulfilled. Do we trust in the promises of God even when it seems unreasonable to many to believe in Him? Romans 4:18 speaks of Abraham’s faith, “who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, ‘So shall your descendants be.’” Sarah and Abraham both believed when it seemed contrary to hope.
• Sarah’s faith caused her to be willing to be used by God. How many people would want to have a kid when they are ninety years old? Sarah did not back down from something which might seem very challenging to us because of her faith in God.
• Sarah’s faith does not mean she never questioned God. Sarah is listed among those who are faithful and her faith regarding the birth of Isaac is the example given. However, when it was announced on one occasion she would have a child, notice her response in Genesis 18:9-15. It says, “Then they said to him, ‘Where is Sarah your wife?’ So he said, ‘Here, in the tent.’ And He said, ‘I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.’ (Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him.) Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, ‘After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?’ And the Lord said to Abraham, ‘Why did Sarah laugh, saying, “Shall I surely bear a child, since I am too old?” Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of
life, and Sarah shall have a son.’ But Sarah denied it, saying, ‘I did not laugh,’ for she was afraid. And He said, ‘No, but you did laugh.’” God’s word promises things which might baffle our mind. The test of our faith is how do we respond to such things. People today may not be able to understand how baptism in water saves a person but faith in God will lead one to trust God’s promise and be baptized for the remission of sins (1 Peter 3:21; Acts 2:38; 22:16).
• Sarah shows us wives and women in the Old Testament displayed faith just as husbands and men were expected to do. Faithfulness is not something reserved for men alone! Women need to be faithful to God as well!
As Abraham serves as an example to the faithful, the New Testament uses Sarah to serve as an example to wives of how holy women conducted themselves. 1 Peter 3:5-6 says, “For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror.” Are we imitating those great examples of faith we read about throughout the Bible? If someone was to write a chapter about faithful individuals in our generation, would our name be found in that chapter as Sarah’s is?