Genesis 15:1-6, 17:15-19; 18:9-15; 21:1-8
Three months ago, my husband and I lost our first child. We were eight-weeks in, joyful with anticipation, delighted. After three long years, God had finally called us to be parents. And then the symptoms arrived, and the doctor confirmed the most devastating of prognosis: miscarriage. An ugly word if I’ve ever seen one.
I was left beside myself, just like Abraham,
“You promised me descendants Lord, where are they?”
My desire to be a mom did not diminish with the physical void of my empty womb. Yet, here I was, stuck in the reality that for some reason it wasn’t our time yet. So, I stopped asking “why” and allowed the Lord to heal me. I allowed Him to remind me of all the beautiful blessings we did have.
I allowed Him to teach me that I was indeed a mom, and that my love for our little Sarah Grace is a love that cannot be fabricated or replaced. You see, I still long for a child that I can hold and kiss, but God has granted me so much peace in knowing that His promises are true.
And, this is why we chose to name our little one Sarah, because God came through for Sarah. And, He will (and has always) come through for us. In the little ways as well as the big ones.
This Advent, it’s easy to forget the longing of the Israelites. It’s easy to forget that there was a time Christ’s birth wasn’t a given. There was a time Christmas shopping was a priority the day after Thanksgiving. But, we are invited into remembering this longing because it is our longing that reminds us of how dependent we are upon the Lord.
But, more so than that, how much the Lord wants to shower us and surprise us with His love on Christmas Eve.
Study Questions:
1. Have you ever questioned a promise that God made you? Why?
2. What keeps you from trusting His promises? Why?
3. What can you learn from Sarah and Abraham’s witness about what it means
to trust God? And, how can you apply that lesson to your life?
This year's study journal is broken into 4 parts.
To view each, please scroll to the middle of the above link.