You’ve probably heard the proverb, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick.” But did you know Jesus was born because God redeemed a long-deferred hope? In Genesis, we read that Abraham and his wife Sarah longed for a child for decades, but Sarah was unable to conceive. When Sarah was 90 years old, God appeared to Abraham and promised that Sarah would give birth to a son, and that through this child, He would establish an everlasting covenant between Him and Abraham’s descendants. Sarah actually laughed when God said this, because she thought, “How could a worn-out woman like me enjoy such pleasure?” Yet Sarah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. Abraham named him “Isaac,” which means “laughter,” because God brought Sarah great joy and redemption through what appeared to be an impossible situation.
Isaac’s son was Jacob, and Jacob had 12 sons, one of whom was Judah. Out of the tribe of Judah came King David, and because Jesus’ mother Mary was a descendent of David (as was His earthly father Joseph), the Savior became the fruit of God’s promise to Abraham and Sarah. As God healed Sarah’s body and fulfilled the desire of her heart, He planted a seed that would ultimately reconcile mankind to Himself, establishing a covenant that would last forever. Sarah’s ability to give birth in her old age gives us another reason to be in awe of the miraculous story of Jesus’ birth.
If you are facing deferred hope today, rest assured that God has redemption for this season and will bring about a greater return than you can imagine. Though you can’t see the purpose in it now, one day, you will. Hold on to God’s promises! Like Sarah, you will experience that, “A longing fulfilled is a tree of life.”
Prayer: Father, thank You for being a God of Your Word. Just like You fulfilled Your promise to Sarah, I trust that You will fulfill Your promises to me. Thank You in advance for using the difficult seasons of my life for a greater purpose. I am honored to be a part of the work that brings You glory.
Genesis 17:19
But God replied, “No—Sarah, your wife, will give birth to a son for you. You will name him Isaac and I will confirm my covenant with him and his descendants as an everlasting covenant.
Genesis 18:10-14
Then one of them said, “I will return to you about this time next year, and your wife, Sarah, will have a son!”Sarah was listening to this conversation from the tent. Abraham and Sarah were both very old by this time, and Sarah was long past the age of having children. So she laughed silently to herself and said, “How could a worn-out woman like me enjoy such pleasure, especially when my master—my husband—is also so old?”
Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh? Why did she say, ‘Can an old woman like me have a baby?’ Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”
Genesis 21:1-7
The Lord kept his word and did for Sarah exactly what he had promised. She became pregnant, and she gave birth to a son for Abraham in his old age. This happened at just the time God had said it would. 3And Abraham named their son Isaac. Eight days after Isaac was born, Abraham circumcised him as God had commanded. Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born.And Sarah declared, “God has brought me laughter.
All who hear about this will laugh with me. Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse a baby? Yet I have given Abraham a son in his old age!”
Luke 3:23-24
Jesus was about thirty years old when he began his public ministry. Jesus was known as the son of Joseph. Joseph was the son of Heli. Heli was the son of Matthat. Matthat was the son of Levi. Levi was the son of Melki. Melki was the son of Jannai. Jannai was the son of Joseph.