Outside the Zone Lesson 7 Part 1

ByRachel Wojo

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Outside the Zone of Age: Sarah

Various Scriptures

In preparing your train of thought for this lesson, think about your answers to the following questions.  What role does age play in our society?

Do I ever act judgmental because of a person’s age?

How does God view the topic of age?

Is there something I believe I should be doing for the Lord, but perhaps am waiting until I feel “mature” enough?

Is there something that I’m waiting on God to do in my life and I’m just plain ol’ sick and tired of the wait?  My faith is waning and I have accepted that perhaps it is just not going to happen.

The first passage we read is Genesis 17:1-2 and 15-22.   God chose Abraham and promised to multiply him exceedingly.  We are not talking addition here!  We’re talking multiplication!  Exceedingly! So Abraham and his wife, Sarah, were promised a wonderful heritage.  Children and grandchildren that numbered above the stars in heaven.

Only a little itty bitty problem: they were old.  Past child-bearing years.  We come to the next chapter of Genesis, chapter 18:6-15, and we discover Sarah’s response to this covenant promise of God.   What was her response? She laughed!  I think it is so easy to judge Sarah for this laughter…we think of her sarcasm. Her boldness at disbelieving God’s covenant.  But just think about why she was laughing…she laughed because of her AGE.  Her physical body was not conducive to God’s plan, in her thinking. 

The conception of a child was preposterous at best, but the actual physical birth of the child was virtually impossible.

Consider the physical attributes of the current state of Sarah’s body.

  • Estrogen Deficiency
  • Mood Disturbance
  • Breast Atrophy
  • Osteoporosis
  • Slow Digestive System
  • Overactive Urinary System
  • Aged Respiratory System
  • Strained Cardiovascular System

Verse 11 of Genesis 18 spells out very clearly that Abraham and Sarah were “well stricken in age.”  Another interpretation of this verse might say that they were like well-worn garments.  A little thin…perhaps a few strings were hanging at the hems…the color faded.  This is the description of Sarah at this time… and she’s going to have a baby?!

The key phrase in this passage, verse 15:

Is anything too hard for the Lord?

Truthfully, we know the answer, but do we believe it?  Do we have the faith to step out of our comfort zone…whether it is appearance, appeal, ability, ancestry, adversity, or age… and believe that HE IS?

Part 2 tomorrow, but I leave you with this incredible quote:

Difficulty is the very atmosphere of a miracle- it is miracle in its first stage.  If it’s to be a great miracle, the condition is not difficulty, but IMPOSSIBILITY. – Streams in the Desert- Lettie B. Cowman

Luke 1:37

For with God, nothing shall be impossible.