Wednesday, March 14, 2018

Impossible to Believe


In Harnish's Easter Earthquake study, he quotes Frederick Buechner's interpretation of Genesis 17 - when an angel tells Abram and Sarai (99 and 91 years old) that they will be the parents of a child.  Remember the scripture? They laugh.

Buechner paints this wonderful image of the couple laughing at the unbelievability of the whole thing.  And then the Buechner quote says, "They are laughing because the angel not only seems to believe it but seems to expect them to believe it too."

Of course, we have the benefit of standing on this side of history - we know the end of the story - so we take it for granted that what the angels says does come true, but can't we imagine how difficult it would have been for Abram and Sarai to believe what the angel was telling them? And how hilarious it would have been for the angel to EXPECT them to believe it?

And then God does what we would consider to be impossible, and the barren, elderly couple has a son, who they name Isaac, which means "laughter."

What is it that someone would tell you that would be so impossible for you to believe that you would laugh at them? What is it that God is trying to tell you that you think is so hilarious that belief is unbelievable? What is God trying to do in your life or through your life that is so unexpected that you can't believe it?

What would happen if you believed?

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