Year after year I’ve been growing in greater faith and learning to take God at His word. For He is faithful even when I have failed! I’ve grown a little in laying down my fear and trusting God as Sarah did. Before I get into my story let’s look a little at Sarah.

WHO IS SARAH?

I’m fascinated by Sarah’s story. God’s handy work is displayed all over her life. Take, for instance, her beauty. At this point in her story (Genesis 12), she is traveling with her husband (half-brother as they share the same father) through a foreign land. They had left their hometown of Urh as a call from God but now find themselves in the middle of a famine. Traveling into Egypt, where supplies must have been bountiful, one thing concerns Abraham; his wife’s beauty. Of all things, I cannot image my beauty placing my husband in harm’s way.

But at last, this, Abraham has to face. He has Sarah agree to mention she is merely his sister. When she finds favor with the people in Egypt, they will not kill Abraham to take her for themselves. Compassion for him is not the first emotion that arises when I learn he lied to save his own skin. But I’m called to it nonetheless. I’m reminded that he is just a man, and I, like him, have not always used righteous tools to get me out of a pickle. I am so thankful God redeems my sin and wrong reasoning.

So back to Sarah’s beauty: Her beauty must have been something extraordinary for Abraham to rush into putting her at risk. Here in Genesis 12:7 is the first hint that Sarah, who is 65 years old, would have children (the land would be an inheritance to their descendants). Until now, she was a barren woman; what a miracle must have occurred within her. An old body made young again and with it great beauty? The text does not tell us how God performed this miracle, but her beauty indicates an extraordinary miracle had occurred.

She’s a woman who left her home and followed her husband to a foreign land. I don’t know about you, but that would be one hard thing for me to do. I am such a home putzer. I love being at home and filling my day with the comforts of the known. I know just where my coffee is waiting for me each morning. Having to dig through some boxes to unpack from a long sojourning doesn’t sound like home to me.

We learned she was a barren woman. I cannot image the sorrow of this. I am sure some women who have known this sorrow will stumble upon this post. I wish I could hug you now and grieve with you. You may relate to Sarah in such ways I have not known. The promise of a child to come at the age of 65 would certainly make me laugh in disbelief. Maybe I’m moved to compassion for Sarah in this brief part of her story. I’ve learned she’s so much more than a moment in time.

A woman who ran ahead of God’s plan….making a mess of everything. Now I can take a deep breath and contemplate this moment that I share with Sarah. Perhaps like me, you think your messes have thwarted God’s work in your life. Looking at Sarah’s story, I’ve learned a bit about God’s faithfulness, even in my lack, a subject I plan to write about. But, for now, I know God is still at work!!!!! God was faithful to His promise. And God is faithful to His plan even when we are unfaithful. His redemption of our messes due to our sins is not beyond His grace and beauty to produce His perfect plan. We do not tie his hands. But oh, how He still longs to draw us into His every faithful work and redemption of our lives. I’ve learned from Sarah that I can trust His faithfulness.

Sarah knew betrayal by her husband. Betrayal on any level is crushing to the soul. Infidelity is the first thought that comes to mind when we consider betrayal between a husband and wife. But the betrayal that Sarah encounters is just as insidious, if not even worse, in my humble opinion (when considering the cultural circumstances). In Genesis chapters 12 and 20 we read how Abraham created a circumstance in which he made his wife vulnerable. Women in that day really had little rights even to their person. They could not own land or property. They could not make a living and provide for themselves. They were cared for by their fathers, a husband, or as part of a harem (consider here a sex slave).

Sarah had everything that that world system could offer. Abraham was wealthy (Genesis 12:5, 13:2-6), which meant that Sarah was wealthy. Abraham had all the means to provide for his wife, which meant Sarah had safety. Any compassion I have for Abraham slips away quickly, but I try to hold fast to God’s story of redemption in it all. I ache at this part of the story. Many of us experience (or have experienced) betrayal on some level or another. When someone has your back (a friend, family member, coworker, or spouse) and they let that slip, the aftermath can be difficult. Depending on the circumstance, even life-threatening and so this is where we find our sister Sarah. But her story does not end here.

Sarah was a woman defended by God. A disclaimer, God does not condone abuse or betrayal that leaves you vulnerable to violence. The purpose of this article is to see what faith our sister had in who God was. We learn from her story how God defended her, protected her, and how her faith was a journey of growing and trusting the One who was for her.
If you find yourself here, I want you first to know God values your safety. Please seek help if you are experiencing domestic violence.

As for Sarah’s story, She walked a journey (uniquely to herself) that teaches me about faith and trust in a God who fights for us. In Genesis 12:17 God defended Sarah for her own sake. He loved her, cared for her life, saw her circumstances, and honored the promise He made to her. In this, I find her laughter turned to trust. I found a woman who grew in understanding her God and how He remained faithful to her.

A woman who did not fear! Sarah was a woman who took God at His word, and I’m learning from her not to fear but to take hope in a faithful God. I hope to share more about God’s faithfulness and ask you to join me in laying down fear and picking up hope. A journey to becoming the woman God intends you to be, a woman of faith just as Sarah did.