Heroes of Faith Part 5 - Sarah

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In a line-up of predominant patriarchs, only two women would feature but none taller than Sarah, wife of Abraham. Even so, it is evident that in some translations, Abraham is made out to receive the credit that perhaps, arguably, Sarah should be deserving of it.

The cornerstone of Sarah’s prominence among the heroes of faith lies in this verse:

“It was by faith that even Sarah was able to have a child, though she was barren and was too old. She believed that God would keep His promise.” (Hebrews 11:11)

In modern times we draw a line for a woman’s fertility at the age of 40. Any woman past that age may still have a baby but the risks are there not just for the mother but also for the child. The danger of mortality mounts as the woman gets older and the prospect of survivability worsens with every year into her seniority. And so it is that we view within this perspective the enormity of what Sarah had achieved by having a baby well past her child-bearing age.

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It is also understandable that she would struggle to believe God when she was told she would bear a child at her advanced age. But sometimes we are wont to take things a little too far – Sarah did her share of this by taking matters into her own hands. Limited by her own understanding of how God works (we all do, don’t we…), Sarah viewed God’s promise of a child in the most skewed way and there lies the tangential story of how Hagar was brought into the scene and how Ishmael complicated matters for the patriarch’s household.

Even amidst all the confusion, God used Sarah to reveal an extraordinary plan that proves His deft hand at getting around whatever stumbling blocks man puts in His way. And so it is that, in the end Sarah’s faith would become a source of inspiration not just for women but for all who believes in the sweetness of waiting on God.

Formerly known as Sarai, Sarah was not the only woman that the Bible records to being barren but on the other hand, she was the wife of one to whom God had promised to raise a nation and by that, Abraham would have descendants so numerous that even the stars in the sky would be outnumbered. If Abraham were to be in that position, how could Sarah be in God’s plans for it to unfold? And so she waited patiently and after a few years had gone by, she was convinced that it wasn’t to be her who would bear the child that God had promised.

Persuaded by her own thoughts, Sarah justified God’s plans by convincing Abraham that it should be their Egyptian maid, Hagar, who would produce his heir and so in a complete distortion of what God had in mind, Ishmael was born. But nothing of this sort would deter or derail His plan for He would make good His promise to Abraham albeit in His own way.

And so we come to the point of the story where three visitors had arrived at their camp and where Abraham thought to feed them well. Unbeknownst at the beginning at least, these were heavenly beings – possibly angels – disguised as wearied travellers – who had come a long way to reiterate God’s promise to Abraham and his wife; that the son will come.

And he did and they named him Isaac. With God, all things are possible. Nothing within the human perspective is a barrier to how God works; not age, not nothing. Despite her old age, she gave birth to Isaac who went on to carry the torch for the Lord.

Isaac himself would go on to extend the line of descendants with Esau and Jacob. Jacob forged the genealogy of God’s chosen people, adding and inspiring the dozen tribes of Israel from the twelve sons he’d begotten. All the way, from the tribe of Judah would come David and then further down the descendancy, the promised Saviour, Jesus Christ, Son of God. It is just as obvious therefore that it was vital for Sarah to play her part as it is that it couldn’t be anyone else but her to give to the world, the heir to Abraham, Isaac. 

Achievements

As Abraham became the father of the nation of Israel, rightly so, Sarah is its mother. Her loyalty meant she would share in his blessings. Despite her struggles in her faith, God saw it right to include her in the Hebrews 11 Heroes of Faith.

Personal Strengths

Sarah’s obedience to her husband mightn’t be obvious to many but it’s there – when Abraham deceived the Pharaoh, calling her his unmarried sister (to save his own hide), she did not object; neither did she get angry with him. Evidently also, she was protective of Isaac and loved him deeply.

Personal Weaknesses

There were times of doubt for Sarah and like all of us, she also had trouble believing God’s promise to fulfil her with a child, leading her to find her own way.

Hometown

Unknown since her story began when she was already married to Abraham in Ur of the Chaldeans, meaning that she had by then left home.

Lessons in Life

Sarah’s life of waiting on God is a lesson that can be hard for many of us. Her life teaches us that when in doubt (or fear), remember God said to Abraham, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” (Gen 18:14) We also learn that our human limitations prevent us from viewing God’s promise properly, which is why after 90 years, Sarah did not think much of His promise of motherhood. But God is adept at getting around human foibles. Just because we are impatient does not mean that He cannot unleash His plans.

Family Tree

Abraham (husband); Terah (father); Isaac (son); Nahor (half-brother); Haran (half-brother); Lot (nephew) 

Occupation

Homemaker, wife and mother

Biblical References

Genesis 11-25; Isaiah 51:2; Romans 4:19, 9:9; Hebrews 11:11; 1 Peter 3:6

Key Verses

Genesis 21:1 > “Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what He had promised.”

Genesis 21:7 > “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.’”

Hebrews 11:11 > “And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered Him faithful who had made the promise.” 

Next Up 

Heroes of Faith Part 6 - Isaac; November 28 2014