The life of Sarai (later known as Sarah) teaches important nuggets of life. We have identified her issue with childbearing, relocating to new places, conniving with he husband to lie so her husband could spared, bringing in Hagar to fix her childlessness, the maltreatment of Hagar because of Hagar’s change in attitude and now Ishmael, Hagar’s son has been born. Is God done with Sarai? No! Her story is yet to take another shape. God had a plan and in all those years, Sarai had been waiting until she could wait no longer. She also introduced her plan which seemed to fix the situation but ultimately was not the best plan. Alternative plans are good but whenever we make an alternative plan, we should consider how that aligns with God’s ultimate plan for us. Hagar was a good alternative but she was not the perfect plan of God for the couple. God’s permissive will is different from God’s perfect will. Indeed the child Ishmael will forever enjoy the blessings of Abram but God’s covenant was not with him. God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.” (Genesis 17:15-16) God reiterated His covenant with the couple in Genesis 17:1-2. “When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless. Then I will make my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.” God changed the names of Abram and Sarai and gave them new names reflecting the blessings of the covenant. God said, “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you.” God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.” (Genesis 17:4-6, 15-16). Sarai became Sarah, meaning the mother of nations and Abram became Abraham, meaning the father of nations. Sarah’s new name reflects her identity in the Lord. She was called as a mother not to just a single person but to nations. This implies that nations will rise from Sarah’s lineage. How is that even possible? Abraham could possibly have a child but Sarah was too old according to the physical state of a woman. She was past the stage of childbearing. She had advanced menopause and nothing in her physical appearance could facilitate the making of a baby. Abraham was even shocked that Sarah will have a child. “Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?” Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year.” (Genesis 17:17, 19, 21) The lesson from these passages is that when the time is right, God will surely make it happen. Abraham laughed at the possibility of both him and Sarah becoming parents but with God, all things are possible. As angel Gabriel told Mary, the mother of Jesus, “For no word from God will ever fail” ( Luke 1:37). Waiting is the most difficult thing for most of us. However, we could wait and operate in God’s perfect will or go ahead of God and operate in His permissive will. While we wait for our breakthroughs, we should be intentional about what we do. We should equip ourselves with valuable tools and resources needed to survive throughout the waiting period. If you see God coming through for others, know that He is in the neighbourhood and He will surely come through for you. The miracle He has for you will change your name and identity. Sarai became Sarah (mother of nations). Your time for visitation is near, be patient and ready for your next move. Oh, I am excited already!
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