Sarahs Say

Marriage is at times, very difficult even if no one really wants to admit it. There are so many different reasons for difficulty including financial issues, illness, family conflicts and pressures and often just life in general. All of these things can place an enormous strain on a marriage even a good marriage and without a firm commitment and the help of God ,couples can find it very hard to stay together.

In Genesis chapter 22 we read the familiar story of God telling Abraham to take his son Isaac to a place God would show him, and to offer him there as a sacrifice. We read that, the next morning Abraham rose up early, gathered the supplies needed, and set off with his son. In that same chapter, we also read how God in the end supplied a ram for the sacrifice instead of Isaac, because it was never God’s intention for Isaac be sacrificed, but rather to test Abraham. To see if he would be willing to give up something he loved so much. In the end as stated earlier, God was faithful and provided an alternate sacrifice and together Abraham and Isaac set off for home and continued to live their lives.

We often read this story only thinking of Abraham and what he had to have gone through, how he passed the test, but what about his wife Sarah? After all Isaac was her son also- her only son at the time. Did she have a say in all of this? What were her feelings regarding this command from God, the same God who had told her she would give birth to a son in her old age?

The Bible does not state whether or not Sarah was told in advance of what was to happen, and doesn’t give any indication of what she had to say about it. One would guess most likely Sarah found out after the fact for that information would have been about impossible to keep quiet especially on Isaac's part. Take a moment if you will and try to imagine what Sarah must have thought upon finding out all of this and the horror she must have felt. Most likely she ended up having an in-depth conversation with Abraham and maybe even with her son as well. She had to have been feeling anger, relief and maybe even some confusion. Yes, God did provide the ram in the end, but to have had your child go through this experience must have been beyond comprehension for Sarah. Perhaps she was even angry God felt He needed to test Abraham in this manner by using their son. Let’s also though not forget this was not easy for Abraham as well. He had to have felt immensely grieved on many different levels but was above all being obedient to his God. For Sarah though she ended up not having any say in the matter. Perhaps God was sparing her the immense struggle that would have taken place in her heart and mind. Either way this not only affected all three of them individually but surely had an affect I’m sure on Sarah and Abraham's marriage. One doesn’t know the words that were exchanged between the two of them but, one does know their marriage survived it! Their marriage survived the most difficult and heart wrenching test imaginable and God was faithful to their family.

For us of today there will always be times of struggle and times of enormous strain. Times in where even you as a wife may feel you have no say in certain areas. Times where you feel left out and times where you’re even left in the dark so to speak about things, but know that God is faithful. Know that God sees and hears all and is very aware of everything you are facing as a wife, as a mother and as a woman. Even for Sarah she may not have had previous knowledge of what God was asking her husband to do but, in the end, it worked out and I'm sure their communication, love for each other and their family and most of all their love for God was even stronger than before.

So, learn today to trust God even in the hardest and most difficult times in your life and marriage. Learn to rely on God and His strength and goodness. Know that even in the hard and struggling moments that God is with you and His plan is not to harm you or to take something away from you but in the end to make Himself more aware to you and those in your life. So, while you may at times feel even like Sarah that you have no say know that God is watching out for you and your family and He will cause all things to work together for good