Patient Beyond Belief
If you just read this verse 21 alone it all seems so simple and easy. And yet…
Reference: v.21 Issac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was barren. The Lord answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant. (NIV Bible)
Explore: Isaac prayed, the Lord answered, Rebekah conceived. What a delightful progression of events. If you just read this verse 21 alone it all seems so simple and easy. And yet, if you look into the text a little deeper you will see that Isaac married Rebekah when he was 40. Rebekah gave birth to the twins when Isaac was 60. Now, correct my maths if it is wrong, but that’s 20 years difference… and I’m guessing that Isaac and Rebekah didn’t wait until Isaac was 58 before trying to have kids! He was truly patient beyond belief.
Application: I admit regularly that I am not the most patient person in the world. I am a true child of my generation and I like things done pretty instantly. It seems that Isaac’s faith and patience didn’t fall too far from the tree. Abraham was incredibly patient waiting upon the Lord to fulfil His promise to him. And it seems his son Isaac was also patient in waiting for his prayer to be answered. How would our faith endure a 20 year wait? I’m pretty sure I would need some significant signs that God was still there within that time frame. And yet the Lord did answer Isaac’s prayer. It may not have been in Isaac’s time, or my time requirements either! But the Lord is always faithful in answering our prayers. Are we faithfully waiting?
Prayer: Lord, you are truly faithful towards us. Thank you for always answering our prayers. May we be patient in waiting for Your answer. Amen.
What are you waiting on at the moment? Don’t give up. Stay patient.
This article was written by Linda Bailey
Linda started theological studies in 1999 in Australia. After working for ten years in various church ministries, she now works as the breakfast producer at 89.9 LightFM - the Christian radio station in Melbourne, Australia. She writes blogs every day about passages she is currently reading in the Bible. Follow her on Google Plus +Linda Bailey or Facebook by clicking the like button on the right of this page.