Issac is Born (Genesis 20-21)

"So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the appointed time of which God had spoken to him."
      This passage includes a great spiritual defeat as well as a great spiritual victory. In the previous passage we see that Abraham did the right thing by welcoming God into his home and serving Him. Abraham also intercedes on behalf of the people of Sodom, learning the heart of God. This was a great spiritual victory for Abraham, but it did not last for long. When Abraham goes to Gerar in chapter 20, he lies about his relationship to his wife, claiming that she is his sister. This should sound very familiar, as Abraham has used this tactic before in Egypt. Even despite this lie, God still manages to bless Abraham.
      Chapter 20 is a good reminder to us that spiritual victories can sometimes lead to compromise. After we have done something great for the Lord, sometimes we begin to get used to being victorious. When trials come our way, it is easy for us to stumble and fall. Life is full of victories and defeats, but we must not focus on either. Life will always be full of good and bad things, but we must focus on Jesus Christ. Only then will we learn to live a life that pleases God.
      In Chapter 21, Abraham's son is finally born. Abraham has been waiting for 25 years for God to deliver His promise. Abraham is now 100 years old, and it seems ridiculous that he could have a son at this age. Against all human understanding and power, Issac is born to Sarah and Abraham. This must have been a great time of celebration for them, because they have been waiting for a son for a very long time.
      God is a faithful God, whether or not we are faithful to Him. Abraham did not live a perfectly faithful life, as we saw in chapter 20, where he lies about his wife. However, God still delivered on His promise, and He granted a son to Abraham. Abraham must have known that it was only through God's power that he got a son, because Abraham was much too old to have a son, and Sarah was also very old. We can learn that "for nothing will be impossible for God (Luke 1:37)". God will do what He promises, because He is faithful and He has the power to do what it is He promises to us.
      Even though God is faithful to us regardless of our faith, we still must have faith in Him. "Without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6)", so we must put our faith in God. Sometimes this seems like a difficult task, especially when life is not going our way. When Abraham was going through those many years without his promised son, he probably doubted God many times. However, against all hope, Abraham chose to believe God, and it was credited to him as righteousness. We too must choose to believe in God, and He will credit our faith as righteousness. On our own we cannot be righteous, but through faith God will treat as if we were. This is because Jesus paid for our sanctification, and only through Him can we be saved.
-Smart