Nothing Is Too Hard for the Lord {Genesis 18}

When we face a seemingly impossible situation in life, we can find encouragement in the Bible that nothing is too hard for the Lord. #Biblestudy #Genesis #WomensBibleStudy #GoodMorningGirls

Good Morning Girls!

Can you imagine if God came to your front door?  What would you do?

Today we are reading in Genesis 18 and that is exactly what happened to Abraham and Sarah.

Genesis 18

The Lord appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. 2 Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.  3 He said, “If I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant by. 4 Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree. 5 Let me get you something to eat, so you can be refreshed and then go on your way—now that you have come to your servant.”“Very well,” they answered, “do as you say.”

6 So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. “Quick,” he said, “get three seahs of the finest flour and knead it and bake some bread.”

First, we see that three men arrived and one of them is the Lord Jesus. Bah! Exciting!!!  Abraham runs into the tent to Sarah and demands that she quickly make some bread.

Look at Sarah – such a willing wife.  She does exactly as her husband requests, while he runs off to get some meat prepared as well.

7 Then he ran to the herd and selected a choice, tender calf and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it. 8 He then brought some curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them. While they ate, he stood near them under a tree.

9 “Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked him.  “There, in the tent,” he said.  10 Then one of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.”  Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him.

So after Sarah helps prepare and serve the meal, she listens in.  If God were in my dining room eating with my husband, I would listen in too!

So, the guys are eating and then she over hears her name and the words “next year, Sarah your wife will have a son” and…

she laughs.

11 Abraham and Sarah were already very old, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing. 12 So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?”

13 Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’ 14 Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”

15 Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.”But he said, “Yes, you did laugh.

Caught laughing!

Sarah was caught doubting God and when He asked why she laughed…she lied!

Scripture tells us that everywhere Sarah went she was instantly favored because of her good looks. Two Kings pursued her hand in marriage immediately after seeing her. She must have been stunningly attractive.

Sarah had beauty, the attention of others and Abraham’s wealth but what she really wanted was a child.

The first thing we learn in scripture about Sarah is that she was barren (Gen.11) and in her desperation she persuaded Abraham to have a baby with her maidservant Hagar.  Scripture literally says – Sarah “gave” Hagar to Abraham (Gen.16:3) – UGH!

But as soon as Hagar was pregnant, Sarah despised her and mistreated her and sent her away (Gen.16).

You see, Sarah carried this burden of a promise that a nation would come through Abraham but Sarah could not see with her own eyes, how God would provide these descendants – so she took matters into her own hands.

Her lack of faith – made a mess.

Which is why it’s so amazing to find these words said about Sarah in Hebrews 11:11 :

 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.”

We see in the book of Hebrews, Sarah is commended for her faith…but what about that laughter we read about in Genesis?

Did Sarah have a change of heart?  Indeed she did!

Praise the Lord, after being caught in her doubt, lie, and mess, the words of the Lord rang true in her life.

“Is anything to hard for the Lord?”

Oh how I love the grace of God that overlooks her mistakes.  He is a God of second chances. A God who is patient with our failings, ever strengthening us and making us more like Him.

Nothing is too hard for the Lord.  And Genesis 21:1,2 tells us that the Lord was gracious to Sarah and did for Sarah what He promised. She became pregnant and bore a son named Issac.

God stepped into Sarah’s situation.  He waited. He waited until Sarah was past the childbearing years – past the age when it would be humanly possible for her to have a child – and then he stepped in and got all the glory!

Is there something in your life that is hard?  You can’t imagine how God can change it?

Life is hard.  Finances, relationships, health issues and loss are hard.

But God…nothing is too hard for Him!

Let’s learn from Sarah’s faith and remember, God always keeps his promises. Let’s wait on God to work out his plans in our lives. Let’s not take matters into our own hands.  Though with our human eyes, some things may seem impossible, let us remember, NOTHING is too hard for the Lord.

Walk with the King,

Courtney

This week’s reading plan:

Genesis Reading Plan Week 3

**Chime In**

Genesis 18 discussion question

15 Comments

  1. There are so many impossibles that I have encountered in my life! When I look back now, some were left that way by God because that was not what He wanted for me. The baby my husband and I are expecting, was an impossible dream for us 3 years ago and for 3 years I prayed and cried and was disappointed and then…I waited and God stepped in to bring us Mason! Even though I KNOW that Mason will come into this world because God wanted him to be born, I still have a hard time waiting on God. I am working on it though!

    1. I love this, Beth. We went through a similar experience with our oldest daughter. If I have learned anything, I have learned that hindsight is 20/20, and foresight is nonexistent, because it would not leave any room for faith. Glad to relate!

      1. You are so right! When I am in the middle of a trial, I get frustrated and huffy. I know that these are times when God is trying to build my faith and break my need to be impatient or in control, but I still have a hard time letting go of things. I am so glad that He is so patient and loves me anyway!!

  2. I loved this today, thanks! I’ve been dealing with a chronic health issue since January and I’ve seen 3 specialists now who say they have an idea as to what is wrong, but they’re not sure why it happened and that there’s no “cure”. The Lord promised me through His word on 2/17 that He would heal me. I am holding on by faith to that promise!!! With God, all things are possible! 🙂

  3. This is the likely the first time Sarah heard the promise of a child with her own ears; before this, the promise had been spoken to Abraham. It must have been incredible for Sarah to hear this. How gracious of the Lord to come & speak in her hearing to remind her that He hadn’t forgotten her or His promise!

    1. I never even thought about that, but you are right! She finally heard the promise herself. I wonder, was she excited? Did she do her own version of a ‘happy dance’? Or did she stand there and stare, slack jawed at the thought that, after ALL those years, she would finally be able to carry, birth and love a child?

  4. This year I have chosen to homeschool my oldest son. I felt The Lord laying this huge responsibility on my heart. I never would have chosen this for myself and would often think it was impossible. Some days it does feel impossible:) BUT each day I wake and start the day with Gods word I am strengthened! This scripture and lesson was just what I needed today to soothe my anxiety about homeschooling and giving me the strength that all things are possible with God and He will give me the wisdom I need to teach my son!

  5. Like Sarah I couldn’t have children and all I wanted was a child. God promised and after almost 4 years married I conceived. …. it was March 1999 and I was reading the newspaper, there was an article about hotels paying couples to stay and have sex so the couple that will get pregnant will have a child on January 1st 2000 and will be the baby of the Millennium. …. and I laughed at the article because I really believe this people were playing God. But I never thought that I was the one getting pregnant and I didn’t even participate in this game…. Two months later in May 22nd 1999 I found out that I was 8 weeks. And that my due date was January 1st. ….. wow the Lord sometime takes the time to amaze me. … my first born and the child of the promise was born on December 31, 1999 at 12:35pm….. fulfilling God’s Word. …. After Daniel I had two other blessings Gabriel and Danexa. Now day Daniel is turning 15 and he loves the Lord and love to worship him.

  6. I am not sure there is just one situation to name. I mentioned in a previous comment above that hindsight is always 20/20. We realize why God chose the path He did for us, and why, after it has all been laid out. And as hard as it may be, foresight is nonexistent. Because if foresight did exist, there would be no room for our faith in God and His journey for us. The two biggest experiences that stand out are waiting for the news of a first pregnancy after quite a time of praying and wondering, and prior to that, quitting a teaching position in a great school to find one closer to home. It was the summer I was getting married and spent so much of those two months (and through wedding/honeymoon) worrying and worrying about starting a marriage and new life together without a job. But what I did not know or realize, is that He needed me in a very specific and special position, stepping in when another teacher was tragically killed in a car accident. I spent a lot of days in tears prior to understanding His plan and that He needed me in a specific place and time. Once again, hindsight provided the best glasses with which to see. Thanks for the great post and challenge to get me thinking in my own life this morning!

  7. Thank you Cortney, your devotion has been a blessing. I have been praying for quite some time for God to step in on a situation. I know He has a plan and his ways are best.

    Much love

  8. Tank You Cortney, this have been a blessing in my life. Just to be in God words. And there is nothing to hard or big for God.

    Thank You, Thank You
    Ethel

  9. Something happened to me just the other week which I would file in the “anything is possible through Christ” category. I’ve been seeing a therapist for several months now and recently became aware that she is no longer going to be “in-network” as of October 1st. This would require me to pay double the cost for future appointments, which we can afford but would rather not have to pay, especially since I could easily go to another in-network therapist.

    All that being said, there are many +s for staying w/my current therapist: I’m comfortable w/her, the office is within walking distance from our home, she’s also a “younger” mom who gets where I’m at in life, and she specializes in post-partum depression which I suffer from.

    Having to discuss with my money conscious husband the switch to out-of-network was not something I looked forward to. He reacted as I imagined he would: not telling me I had to change therapists but also not understanding the need to spend double when I could just go to another in-network. To him, a therapist is a therapist, is a therapist (my words, not his).

    After talking with my husband and making sure we were both heard, I prayed on it for several days. I wanted very much to honor and respect my husband’s wishes but my feelings were so opposite his.

    For my part, it’s taken me 20 yrs (+/- ) to finally accept and be willing to seek a therapist’s help in trying to understand some issues I have due to old betrayals. I didn’t want to do the wrong thing by switching therapists or by staying w/the same one. I wanted to continue to do what was best for my well-being and also for my marriage but it seemed to me like I had to choose one or the other.

    We have a $750 deductible and have to meet that in order to begin receiving a 65% coverage on future appointments with the out of network doc. That’s roughly 2 more years of therapy appts. So I prayed. I prayed for God to please help me know what the right decision was…what did HE want? Was I supposed to move on to another doctor or stay w/the current one? $750 is a lot of money for us out of pocket but can we put a price on my well being? I knew what I wanted but what did God want?

    A few days passed and my husband said that my dad had called asking for our address. A few more days passed and I received an envelope in the mail from my dad. I thought it was some mail of mine that was sent to his address but no. It was a check written out to ME for $900.00!!!! Just over the $750.00 deductible that was required by our insurance! Now, you tell me, divine intervention? My father is NOT the type to just mail money out to his kids, certainly not an odd number such as $900.00. I was floored.

    God showed up in a big way in answer to my prayers on this issue. I felt stuck between a rock and a hard place and he cleared the debris LIKE THAT! Yes, we could have afforded the additional cost but it was more than that for me. I feel that God was telling me, “Yes. You are where you’re supposed to be. You are worth it. You do need to address these issues. You need to stay with this woman. She will help you. I will help her help you and, while we’re at it, here’s the money so your husband can relax about the deductible.”

    Absolutely AMAZING, God! For me it was an impossible situation that I could not make myself or my husband at ease with no matter what choice I made. God made the choice for us. He made it possible. Anything is possible in the Lord. Amen!

  10. Well my story that I happened to blog about today is that I had two miscarriages before having my 3 kids. To top it off, my 3rd was conceived after a vasectomy! God constantly reminds me that His ways are not MY ways. And try as I might to control details of my life, He trumps it all!

  11. God does answer prayers in his time, not ours. I had prayed for years for my middle son who was in his late 30’s and on the road to ending up at the bottom of a scary pile. It was only the drinking and thank God not things worse, but still he was risking his health let alone if he’d had any car accidents. A couple years ago, God did answer my prayers. He got saved, pitched the cigarettes and the drink that night and God even took away the withdrawal, etc. He now attends Church regularly without missing and is walking the walk not just the talk. So now, I thank God nightly for this miracle and answered prayer. It took a while and sometimes my patience didn’t hold nor did I believe like Sarah that it would ever come to pass, but it was in the most unusual way and when I least expected it to happen. Praise Jesus. Now if I can just be as strong in faith as my Son is now. ~smiles~

  12. Great point about Sarah having a change of heart! We are all in process healing, changing, growing, and that’s encouraging how God can take moments of faithlessness and abrupt turn us around to faith.

    An interesting connection I made when reading this passage the other day is Sarah was criticized by the Lord for laughing at what he said would happen to her, but the Proverbs 31 woman “laughs at the days to come.” Of course, this laughter is one of faith because nothing can faze her, rather than faithlessness, but as Sarah was lauded for being a woman of God — look how abrupt a change can occur in one’s heart, and such similar actions with far different motives can come of it!

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