When Promises Feel Impossible
Abram was now 100 years old, and Sarai was 90. After years of waiting for God’s promises to be fulfilled, imagine what it was like when God visited Abram and told him that from then on, his name would be Abraham, the father of many, and Sarai’s name would be changed to the mother of nations (v. 16).
3Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, 4“As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. 5No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations" (Genesis 17:3-5; emphasis added).
Imagine what it was like to tell their friends who had gone to war with them—Mamre the Amorite, and Eshkol and Aner (Genesis 14:13)—about their name change at such an age. Do you think they were ridiculed? Nowadays, we would call that "eccentricity" or even madness. Here are the verses that address the impossibility of having a son at such an age:
A New Name and a New Identity
15God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. 16I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.” 17Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?” 18And Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!” 19Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him (Genesis 17:15-19; emphasis added).
The Silent Laugh: Dealing with Doubt
Sarah laughed to herself inside the tent, out of view (Genesis 17:12), when she heard the LORD say she would be a mother at ninety. She thought about the impossibility of it all: a woman of ninety, worn out with age and long past her childbearing years, and Abraham being ten years older than she; how could this be possible? She said nothing, but the LORD knew her thoughts. In Sarai’s hearing, He said to Abraham:
“Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’ 14Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.” 15Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.” But he said, “Yes, you did laugh” (Genesis 18:13-15).
Understanding the Omniscience of God
God was aware of Sarah's thoughts, and He is also aware of ours. We use the theological term 'omniscient' to describe God's ability to know everything. Omniscience means being all-knowing. This means God understands the past, present, and future of His creation entirely. Nothing catches Him off guard. His knowledge is complete and inherent; He does not need to learn anything.
29Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. 30And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows (Matthew 10:29-31).
A.W. Tozer has addressed God’s omniscience in this way:
"God knows instantly and effortlessly all matter and all matters, all mind and every mind, all spirit and all spirits, all being and every being, all creaturehood, and all creatures, every plurality and all pluralities, all law and every law, all relations, all causes, all thoughts, all mysteries, all enigmas, all feelings, all desires, every unuttered secret, all thrones and dominions, all personalities, all things visible and invisible in heaven and in the earth, motion, space, time, life, death, good, evil, heaven, and hell."[1]
Why You Can Trust Him Today
There was a gentle rebuke about Sarah’s unbelieving laugh. Imagine hearing from a stranger that you will have a baby next year after waiting your whole married life, and then hearing that, now that it’s physically impossible, it will happen when you are ninety! Sarah realizes that the LORD (YaHVeH) listened to her thoughts even while she was in her tent—her laugh was silent, yet He spoke of her future and the long-awaited dream she and Abraham shared. Knowing that God knows every thought makes it clear that this same God can do anything. The LORD asks, "Is anything too hard for the Lord?" (v. 14). Whatever you’re facing, remember: the Lord understands your doubts, frustrations, and struggles, and He is still capable of answering you.
How to Apply This Today
Knowing that "nothing is too hard for the Lord" is one thing; living it is another. Here are three ways to apply this meditation to your life right now:
Audit Your "Silent Laughs": What is the one thing you’ve stopped praying for because it seems "too late" or "too hard"? Be honest with God about your skepticism. He already knows your thoughts (omniscience), so you might as well talk to Him about them.
Practice Presence in the Waiting: Abraham and Sarah waited 25 years for the promise. Application isn't just about the result; it's about the relationship. Spend 5 minutes today in silence, acknowledging that God is "all-knowing" and not caught off guard by your current delay.
Name Your Impossible: Write down your biggest struggle on a piece of paper. Above it, write: Genesis 18:14 — Is anything too hard for the LORD? Let that question be the lens through which you view your problem. Keith Thomas
Continue Your Journey…
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The more in-depth study notes on this topic are at the link following: 4. Abraham, An Everlasting Covenant
[1]A.W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy (New York, Harper and Row, 1961) p.63.