Suffering: Jumping The Gun, Like Sarai
By your patience possess your souls.
Luke 21:19 (NKJV)
You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.
Hebrews 10:36 (NIV)
I love watching Olympic track and field, but I groan in pain when runners false-start… because it means disqualification. Is their biggest moment lost forever, because they rushed the clock and jumped the gun?
Sarai's false start came about more slowly. While God promised Abram abundant heirs (as numerous as the stars in Heaven), decades would pass before her conception.
During that prolonged waiting period, Sarai got impatient and moved forward, resulting in the birth of Ishmael.*
Although God didn't disqualify her, many suffered from her rash decision to push ahead of God's perfect timing.
Nevertheless, these powerful seniors received a miracle in Isaac's birth, setting up Earth’s MOST MIRACULOUS BIRTH: JESUS, Who arrived when God ordained it.
Actors, models, and talent for Christ:
If you've gotten tired of the waiting game,
If it seems like God has forgotten you,
If you’ve started to doubt your destiny,
If your dream roles keep passing you by,
If you’re thinking about leaving the field,
Or perhaps go with a bad idea…
Pray and learn from Sarai's biggest mistake!
Your Father, the Ultimate Director, has an immeasurable stage to set… with players and factors beyond just you. So memorize and practice this grand verse:
'Those who wait for the Lord
Will gain new strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary' (Isaiah 40:31).**
But if you’ve already made some false starts, precipitous decisions that hurt you, Sarai did, too, and consider her now: the first mother of all of God’s children!
God will help you reach your starring role, too. With patience, keep walking the narrow path.
Suffering: Jumping The Gun, Like Sarai (Part 39)
** Verses about waiting on God: What Does the Bible Say About Waiting On God?
** More Verses about waiting on God: 29 Bible verses about Waiting On God
NOTE: God is my Ghostwriter. If what I write is good, it’s from God! We’re ALL called to be actors (action stars) for Jesus. We’re ALL called to models of Jesus, and we ALL have gifts, talents, and callings from God– to multiply them in the world for His glory.
P.S. NO DEVOTION, PREACHER, or SERMON… can begin to replace personal time in the Bible. I wholeheartedly and clear-headedly recommend READING THE BIBLE DAILY.
WARNING: Don’t focus on favorite verses, because out of context, they’re often misinterpreted. I plead with you to READ AT LEAST 1 BIBLE CHAPTER DAILY. How long does it take? An average of 5 to 10 minutes!