Sarah

Her name means "princess." She was the wife and half sister of Abraham (Gen. 11:29-25:10). Sarah, first called Sarai, had the same father as Abraham. Marriages with half brothers were not uncommon in her time. Sarah traveled with Abraham from Ur to Haran. Then at the age of 65 she accompanied him to Canaan as Abraham followed God's leadership in moving to the land God had promised.

In her grief over her barrenness, Sarah gave her maid Hagar to Abraham in the hope of an heir; but she expressed resentment when Hagar conceived. When Sarah was almost 90 years old, God changed her name and promised her a son. A year later, she bore Isaac.

There probably isn't anything harder to do than wait, whether we are expecting something good, something bad, or an unknown.

One way we often cope with a long wait (or even a short one) is to begin helping God get his plan into action. Sarah tried this approach. She was too old to expect to have a child of her own, so she thought God must have something else in mind. From Sarah's limited point of view this could only be to give Abraham a son through another woman - common practice in her day. The plan seemed harmless enough. Abraham would sleep with Sarah's servant girl, who would then give birth to a child. Sarah would take the child as her own. The plan worked beautifully-at first. But as you read about the events that followed, you will be struck by how often Sarah must have regretted the day she decided to push God's timetable ahead.

Another way we cope with a long wait is to gradually conclude that what we're waiting for is never going to happen. Sarah waited 90 years for a baby! When God told her she would finally have one of her own, she laughed, not so much from a lack of faith in what God could do, but from doubt about what he could do through her. When confronted about her laughter, she lied-as she had seen her husband do from time to time. She probably didn't want her true feelings to be known.

At the age of 127, Sarah died at Hebron, where she was buried in the cave in the field of Machpelah near Mamre.

What parts of your life seem to be "on hold" right now? Do you understand that this may be part of God's plan for you? The Bible has more than enough clear direction to keep us busy while we're waiting for some particular part of life to move ahead.

Strengths and accomplishments:

• Was Intensely loyal to her own child
• Became the mother of a nation and an ancestor of Jesus
• Was a woman of faith, the first woman listed in the Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11
  
  

Weaknesses or Noted Mistakes:

• Had trouble believing God's promises to her
• Attempted to work problems out on her own, without consulting God
• Tried to cover her faults by blaming others

What we can learn from her life:

• God responds to faith even in the midst of failure
• God is not bound by what usually happens; he can stretch the limits and cause unheard-of events to occur

Other Information:

• Where: Married Abram in Ur of the Chaldeans (Chaldees), then moved with him to Canaan
• Occupation: Wife, mother, household manager
• Relatives: Father: Terah. Husband: Abraham. Brothers: Nahor and Haran. Nephew: Lot. Son: Isaac

Key verse:

"Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised" (Hebrews 11:11).

Want More?

Sarah's story is told in Genesis 1 1 -25. She is also mentioned in Isaiah 51:2; Romans 4:19; 9:9; Hebrews 11:11; 1 Peter 3:6.

Portions of the above were excerpted from:

• "Life Application Bible," published by Tyndale House Publishers
• "Holman Bible Dictionary for Windows, v. 1.0d," published by Holman Bible Publishers and Parsons Technology.
  
  

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