God’s Glory Through Infertility
Genesis 15:1-6, 17:1-8, 18:1-15, 21:1-7
The orchestration culminated in the coming of Jesus Christ as the final covenant between God and His people begins with Noah, then between God and Abraham which would become the nation of Israel (Genesis 15:1-6). This nation would be the offshoot of Abraham and the vehicle by which God initiates His promises to be manifest in the world. To the aged eyes of Sarah and Abraham though, there appeared to be one hiccup in God’s plan… Sarah’s infertility. As we know though, God uses this inability to display His good works by bringing forth this set-apart nation. God’s glory through infertility, especially through the circumstance of Abraham and Sarah, is centered more so on God’s timing in achieving His purpose and promises much more than answering the more common questions surrounding this predicament.
A circumstance felt and experienced by many, the depth of the pain and havoc infertility can reap on any couple could be its own devotional mini-series. The realities of the fall being manifest in Sarah’s life in such a way led to disbelief being connected to her identity, as it was even what others believed about who she was. Initially, when God lets Abraham and Sarah in on His plan, they laugh thinking God must have forgotten their current familial situation (17:17, 18:10-15). Though clearly sinful, there is no indication Sarah’s sin or anything of her doing is the cause of her infertility. Yet she accepts it as a flawed part of who she is and therefore decides she can not possibly part take in God’s plan. Her disbelief and insecurity drive her to not only doubt God’s plan could include her, but that His plan was flawed for including her. So she makes her own attempt to fulfill this plan by having her husband conceive a child with their maidservant.
She concludes God has made her barren (16:1-6), and therefore Abraham and her needed to work outside of God’s will in order to fulfill God’s promises. This only intensifies her pain and insecurity, ultimately causing her to give way to festering bitterness now within reason to blame someone other than herself. The abuse her infertility has inflicted on Sarah’s understanding of herself and how she fits into God’s plan is difficult to miss, and is likely why it took all the way up until Sarah was holding her son she herself bore to see her laughter of disbelief turn to laughter of joy. “Sarah said, ‘God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.’ And she added, ‘who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age” ( 21:6-7).
Sarah is a fascinating example of how God redeems her belief and trust in Him through her inability. In her, God not only achieves what He set out to do but also refines the faith of those He is working through. Our deficiencies are evidence of a fallen world, yes, and we wrestle with this daily, sometimes in greater depth as demanded of the circumstance. Infertility being one of the most mentally abusive. Rather our weaknesses and the evidence of a fallen world manifest in our lives, and even our physical being is opportunity for God’s good works to be on display (John 9:1-3). Ultimately, this is so none of us could say “this is our doing”. In stories like this, we see it could never be, and never have been. The impossible coming to fruition in such redemption and timing as this is the glory of God largely at work in a broken people to make it none to many more than just Israel.
Wonder:
If we are to honestly consider all that might be demanded of us in obedience to Christ, and what one must be able to do, it’s intimidating. I can’t imagine Sarah being in this situation, but I do know the feeling of not wanting to table on campus when during the previous day’s session some random college student debated a staff member for 45 minutes and know how terrible I am at communicating apologetics to angry recipients.
Simply put, what are the scary things in ministry you feel as though you are deficient or unable to do? (Think more personally and less on the lines of if you have experience or not in a given area.)
Remind yourself of what God is calling you to. What is your purpose in needing to do the thing you mentioned above?
Talk with Jesus about this area and how you need help from His Spirit. To deepen your faith and trust in Him that yes, He can indeed fill this need and more.
Finally, watch where our attention is drawn specifically about God’s character: “Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what He had promised” (Genesis 21:1). In all of these things you mentioned above, God is gracious, so so gracious, beyond our understanding, and this is the focus. God’s ability to overcome and even us our inability… But why? To reveal His glory to a broken, fallen world. I encourage you with your answers above to ponder God and His glory working through your inability.. Let Him lift your eyes in wonder to the glory found in Him alone and His ability.
