The Long Game

Oct. 17

Read: Genesis 25:19-27; Deut. 32:9

The Long Game

(Good morning everyone! We just finished studying Galatians and seeing the way that God has been working through “children of the promise” from the very beginning. (Gal. 4:21-31, 3:15-29) God was creating a people called “the Israel of God”. (Gal. 6:16) We took a brief stop to consider the tower of Babel, and to consider the way that God divided mankind and took a portion as his own. (Deut. 32:9) It is here that Jacob is called “God’s allotted heritage”. So our next stop is going to be hopping into Genesis to read about the life of Jacob. Let’s go!)

“And Isaac prayed to the LORD for his wife, because she was barren. And the LORD granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived.” (v.21)

Isaac was the outworking of a promise that God made to Abraham. (cf. Gen 15,17) Isaac himself was an answer to prayer. He knew what it meant to “trust the Lord”. Remember, Isaac had walked to the top of the mountain with his father and watched as God tested his father’s faith. This was a test for Isaac as well! There is no doubt that he would have heard from his father about God’s promises to make his families off-spring like the “stars of the sky” and multiply them so that they would be a blessing to all nations. (cf. Gen. 12:1-3) So you can imagine how he felt when he married at age forty only to find out his wife was barren and unable to bear children. (v.20)

Does it ever seem to you like God is intentionally throwing his people “curve balls” and testing our trust and faith? As we read the scriptures we see this played out time and time again: God’s people are met with roadblocks that they cannot resolve on their own. Isaac is powerless to “force” his wife to conceive. It is completely out of his hands. He has seen the Lord work and walked with the Lord alongside his own earthly father for years with this promise in mind. Now he finds himself at 40 years old facing a situation that flys in the face of what God had said He would do! How can Isaac’s offer-spring be “like the grains of sand” if his wife cannot even conceive? This begs the question: How do we respond when we doubt God’s promises? Or, How do we respond when we face something out of our control?

How did Isaac respond?:

“And Isaac prayed to the LORD for his wife, because she was barren. And the LORD granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived.” (v.21)

Isaac’s response was to PRAY. This was how he dealt with the tension and disappointment of facing a roadblock that seemed to work against God’s promises. He prayed for his wife, boldly asking for the Lord to open her womb and provide children. The crazy thing is that verse 21 can be a little misleading. Take a look at verse 26b:

“Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.” (v.26)

Talk about a “record scratch” moment! You do the math… it took 20 years of praying before Rebekah conceived of these twins. It took 20 years of trusting and walking by faith… of wondering how God was going to honor his promises. I get anxious after about 20 minutes… or 20 days at the most! The truth of the matter is that God’s people are called to walk by faith for long stretches of time trusting in God’s promises and provision. We have been blessed with so many “instant” solutions around us today that the notion of waiting 20 years is probably pretty tough for us. God loves the “long game”. He breeds perseverance and trust in us over time as we walk out our faith.

I don’t know specifically what seems to be standing between you and God’s promises this morning, but I am sure there is SOMETHING. I am confident that there is someplace in your life that the situation seems impossible and at odds with the plan of the Lord. This is not a random guess, but rather a reality we see in the patterns of scripture. Those that God is working in and through are consistently faced with “barren womb” sorts of moments. What perseverance and trust it takes to endure for any amount of time… 20 days… months… or even years in the case of Isaac! These roadblocks are not punishments for the people of God, they are defining moments of faith for us. Do not be surprised when these moments come; it means God is priming you to experience his provision, love, and faithfulness in HIS promises to you. We are God’s “portion”, never forget that!

I want you to write out the “barren wombs” you are dealing with today and then go to the Lord in prayer. There are bound to be some things you have already prayed about… do not stop praying for those. Remember, Isaac waited 20 years for God’s answer! May we encourage one another to do the same. May the Lord grant us the patience, endurance, and state of mind to trust his work. Love you guys. - JDP