Sarah Believed Too - The Faith of Women
Now Think On This
by Steve Martin
“God said to Avraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you are not to call her Sarai [mockery]; her name is to be Sarah [princess]. I will bless her; moreover, I will give you a son by her. Truly I will bless her: she will be a mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.” Genesis 17:15,16 (CJB – Complete Jewish Bible)
“By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised.” Hebrews 11:11 NASB
We often read about, and hear of, the faith of the patriarch Abraham, and rightly so. When he was called, he listened. When he was told to go, he went. When he was asked to do extraordinary acts of faith…well, he did.
But we normally don’t see his wife Sarah as doing all those things with him. In one instance, we know her as one who even laughed when told she would have a son. “So Sarah laughed to herself, thinking, “I am old, and so is my lord; am I to have pleasure again?” Gen. 18:22 CJB)
Do you remember that Abraham laughed too at the word God spoke? “At this Avraham fell on his face and laughed — he thought to himself, “Will a child be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah give birth at ninety?” Ge. 17:17 CJB). Laugh at God? They each did.
Both were well past the normal birthing/child rearing days of their lives (not the TV show), and we consider them laughing at God’s spoken word to them as not having any faith at all. That gives me hope when I think on this for you and I, ones of the 50+ers generation, in hope for the future, right??!! The Lord met them where they were at, and used what measure of faith they had shown up to that point, as a basis for more faith to impart to them.
Laugh at God? Who does that and still sees a miracle happen through their body? Isaac did come forth, through Sarah. Something had to be in her heart that the Lord God of Israel saw, and acted upon. There had to be some faith there. The Lord saw it. After all, who had first listened to her husband, when asked to leave her place of dwelling which was their home, leave her family too, and go to some desert land, never seen before, hundreds of miles away by camel, taking months to traverse? Sarah did. Again, the Lord saw something in her heart to have chosen her to be Abraham’s wife when she was yet in her teens. She had to believe too.
Countless women, written about in the history books, had been asked to walk with a man, as soul mate arm in arm, to accomplish a great task the Lord had called them to. It was not just the calling on the man lives, though often he is the one in the forefront and the limelight. It is also the immense call on the wife’s heart, to be able to stand with him in all that the Lord has for them together.
The wives of many godly saints through the ages come to my mind, thinking of those who also had to practice faith. Starting with the wife of the apostle Peter, as Scripture does say he had a mother-in-law, which implies he had a wife! With all that Peter did in taking the Gospel to the nations, surely his wife was there with him.
I think of Catherine Booth, the wife of William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army. Because of her influence in the formation of The Salvation Army, she was known as the 'Mother of The Salvation Army'. What faith she had to have had until her departure in 1890!
Catherine Booth, Salvation Army
Sarah Pierpont married Jonathan Edwards. Can you imagine hearing his fiery sermons each week, along with raising 11 kids, who I am sure had voices of their own? A woman of faith indeed!
In the last half of the century, Ruth Graham (1920-2007), wife of Billy Graham, “gave up her life” for the sake of her husband. But because of her faith and support, look what the Lord did in the nations through her husband. (You can read an excerpt below.)
Those of you who are wives – you are such a vital part of the Lord’s Kingdom work. You are not just “laying your life down for the sake of your husband’s dream” as some may think. You are a part of the Lord’s dream and plans for your life too. Not only is your husband dependent on you, as the head resting on the neck, but the Lord has given you a very special calling and position, in order to fulfill His promises to you, through this placement.
I am so grateful for the many, many moms and wives, women of God, who have taken their place in His Body, and are serving with all the gusto and zeal that they have. You too exemplify the faith of Sarah, Catherine, ruth, and countless others on the Lord’s Wall of Faith. Believe me men, there are a lot of them!
On behalf of husbands who truly appreciate and love their wives, thank you very much. We indeed love and treasure you.
Ahava,
Steve Martin
Founder
Love For His People. Inc.
Added notes:
Sarah Pierpont Edwards
Sarah Edwards – wife of Jonathan Edwards (Christianity.com)Jonathan Edwards was first attracted to thirteen-year-old Sarah Pierpoint because he saw in her an extraordinary cheerfulness and a deeper than usual faith in God. Many smooth and handsome young men courted Sarah, but it was gangly, moody Jonathan, with his prayerful ways and deep love of God, who won her. He made her feel as if what she thought was important to him. They married on this day, July 20, 1727. She was seventeen, he was 23. (Love For His People Editor’s note: My wife Laurie was 18 and I was 23 when we got married in 1973. Nice!)Their marriage, which lasted over thirty years, was a happy one. Much of that was owing to Sarah, who managed the home--and her scholarly husband--efficiently. Sarah worked hard to rear godly children, dealing immediately with sin when it showed itself. She bore eleven, ten of whom lived to adulthood. Jonathan also gave an hour a day to play and conversation with his children.The many people who visited the home were impressed by the peace which flourished in the home. There was none of the quarreling or coldness so common in other homes. Husband and wife supported and admired each other. They prayed daily together. Evangelist George Whitefield, after spending a few days in the calm, happy Edwards home, was so impressed that he determined to get married himself. "A sweeter couple I have not yet seen," he enthused.Jonathan himself saw home life as a living lesson in faith. In his sermon, "The Church's Marriage to Her Sons and to Her God," he reminded his listeners of the importance of marriage. "Of all the various kinds of union of sensible and temporal things that are used in Scripture to represent the relation there is between Christ and his church; that which is between bridegroom and bride, or husband and wife, is much more frequently made use of both in the Old and New Testament. The Holy Ghost seems to take a particular delight in this, as a similitude [likeness] fit to represent the strict, intimate, and blessed union that is between Christ and his saints."
Billy & Ruth Graham
Ruth Graham, from the Billy Graham website, Decision magazine, June 2013, “Ruth Bell Graham – A Life Well Lived - Part-2”“Ma said that she had traveled with her husband to his evangelistic meetings because that is what he wanted. “But all my children are on the road to hell,” she tearfully told Cliff and Billie. She encouraged Billie to stay home and rear their children rather than travel with the Crusades. Billie told Ruth about that conversation.Ruth took on the responsibilities of managing the Graham household, giving Billy the freedom to travel and preach wherever God called him.Just before the birth of their first child, Gigi, in September 1945, Billy and Ruth moved from Illinois to Montreat, N.C., where Ruth’s parents had settled after leaving China. The Grahams lived with the Bells until they bought a house across the street just before their daughter Anne was born. Ruth (called “Bunny” as a child), Franklin and Ned were born in the following years. In the late 1940s, Billy’s ministry grew to include citywide campaigns and radio, leading to the incorporation of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association in 1950.Rather than complaining about staying behind, Ruth strived to make their home a shelter for Billy when he wasn’t traveling. When their home was overrun with curious tourists, she took matters into her own hands and compiled plans to build “Little Piney Cove,” a mountain home constructed of timber from abandoned log cabins. From the very beginning she took control of the project, going as far as getting a loan and buying property when Billy was in California. When the home was finished, she filled it with treasures from the mountains and from her travels.”
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Now Think On This #137 “Sarah Believed Too” by Steve Martin
Date: In the year of our Lord 2014 (04.01.14) Tuesday at 6:30 am in Charlotte, NC.
All previous editions of Now Think On This can be found on this Blog, and on our newest website: Now Think On This
Billy Graham preached the simple Gospel – the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. He learned early on to focus primarily on the Cross of Christ, bringing truth into a world filled with lies and deception. Of the millions who responded to his message, life sprung forth for eternity. Each person who acknowledged the redemptive work of the cross received the resurrection power to overcome death and despair.
Shalom and ahava (peace and love in Hebrew).
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