Dave spoke tonight about Sarah, wife of Abraham, looking in particular at Heb 11:11-12. Abraham is often referred to as the father of faith and little is really said about his wife, Sarah, but in Heb 11:11 we see that Sarah’s faith is mentioned and we should remember that God remembers all who follow Him, however insignificant we may find them. In Is 51:2, we are urged to look to Abraham and to Sarah, and certainly in this woman, we see faith revealed in different ways.
Sarah was a dutiful wife who served her husband well (when she died, Abraham wept bitterly and grieved for her.) She looked after Abraham and his family, was a good mother to Isaac and acted as a hostess for her husband on many occasions. She clearly shared her husband’s faith and coped well with his nomadic lifestyle, which cannot have been easy. Her character, even when war was involved (as in the case when Abraham fought for his nephew, Lot), reflects her trust in God. She accepted that God had called them to a pilgrim lifestyle and showed composure and serenity on many occasions. Even when her faith wavered (as it appeared to do when told she would bear a son in her old age), she came through stronger, because she learned to trust God. When Abraham and Isaac disappeared on God’s command (Gen 22), she remained steadfast in her trust.
Sarah did not, therefore, give in to fear, and in this, she becomes a role model for her. She realised the truth Paul later expressed in Rom 8:31, that if God is for us, who can be against us? She remained confident of God’s love (see Rom 8:37-39) and knew that He was faithful to all His promises. The grace of God was not found wanting in Sarah, and these aspects of God’s character are what we can rely on today.
