The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Genesis l7:17-21, “Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, “Will a child be born to a man one hundred years old? And will Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?”
18 And Abraham said to God, “Oh that Ishmael might live before You!”
19 But God said, “No, but Sarah your wife will bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; and I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.
20 “As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I will bless him, and will make him fruitful and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation.
21 “But My covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this season next year.”

“Listen to your wife. She knows what is best.” How many times have I heard that from people? And it is often true of all of us men. Still, there is a time when we should listen to the LORD alone!

Sarai was certainly at fault for suggesting that Abraham take Hagar, an
Egyptian, as a wife, so that she could bear him a son –a son that God had
promised! Clearly, Sarai lacked the faith to believe that God would keep His promise of giving Abraham a son.

Aren’t we all-too-often like that? We agree with the LORD on everything except His timing! The Hebrew word “wait” (????? qavah) “expects a positive outcome.” Abraham had waited, Sarai’s faith was unwilling to do the same. Think how “childish” it is to want everything now! Think how faithless it is to doubt the LORD’s timing on anything!

I’m reminded of the man, who married a woman to get her off his mind, and
ended up getting her on his hands! (Abram hadn’t heard that, and Sarai
wasn’t telling!) In the end of the story, Hagar and Ishmael, her son, were
ultimately turned away to wander by themselves in the hills. That had to bother Abraham; but, the boy and his mother weren’t alone! The LORD was their comfort and their provision.

Waiting, however, is arduous! For the most part, you and I are a we-want-it-now kind of people! Yet, we only know part of what is going on. Sometimes, we even lack the knowledge of that part! In the end, the LORD made a Covenant with Isaac and his mother.

In the final analysis, the Word says, “”He has done all things well…” (Mk. 7:37).
Pray, of course, but trust Him without hesitation! He alone knows what is best.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom