Today’s 333 Devotional: “Waiting by Faith”

“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. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude–innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.” (Hebrews 11:11-12)

God told Abraham that not only was he going to have a child, but that he was going to be great nation as well. But to see it, Abraham had to wait for 25 years. When Isaac was born, Abraham was 100 years old, and Sarah was around 90.

And while he waited, he didn’t wait all that well. He saw and heard the promise, but he thought he had to work it out, rather than waiting for God. And this brings us to a very real problem we all have, which is what is going to control us, our problems, or God’s promises.

First, he tried through his servant, Eleazer, which was Abraham settling for less.

Let me just say that sometimes we can settle ourselves right out of God’s promises.

Next there was Ishmael, which was Abraham saying, “I’ll do it myself.”

But what happens when we have a Do-It-Yourself, Home Depot sort of faith?

• We start taking shortcuts. We try to find easier ways to get what we want.
• It’s shortsighted, because sometimes the decisions we make aren’t that great and we fail to see what will happen down the line.
• It only provides short-term solutions to long term needs. It may relieve some of the pressure but allows greater pressure to build up.
• We end up getting short changed. Abraham and Sarah wanted to build a family, but in the process, they almost destroyed two families.

Finally, there was Isaac. The promise of God came when they stopped trying to settle for less and the do-it-yourself mentality and by faith waited on God’s timing.