¹¹ By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised.

Certain heroes of the faith are somewhat enigmatic. Sarah is one of them, for in the actual reading of the story in Genesis, she does not seem to show much faith at all. The incident concerns her ability to conceive and have a son who would inherit the promises God made to her husband Abraham. Abraham himself hardly believed God when first it was told him that Sarah would become pregnant at the age of 90 and he at 99! Even by patriarchal standards, that was old! He had thought a substitute in the form of Ishmael would suffice (Gen 17:18). Do we not, like Abraham, often substitute lesser things to bolster our faith in God, when patience is the divine virtue necessary?

Sarah, herself rebuked for lack of faith, must have accepted the admonition, “Is anything too difficult for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, at this time next year, and Sarah will have a son” (Gen 18:14). Faith is not something that one attains to in its fullness and then operates at that level for the rest of one’s life. Faith, rather, is a growing experience. True, it took monumental faith for Abraham and Sarah to leave all and go to a land God was going to show them. But that doesn’t mean believing God for a pregnancy at such an advanced age would be a cake-walk. What couple among us today wouldn’t produce an incredulous chuckle at the thought of getting pregnant when so old? Indeed, it is funny even to think about it.

Though the story in Genesis doesn’t reveal to us any more of Sarah’s inner thoughts on the matter, the inspired writer of Hebrews does: “She considered Him faithful who had promised.” What an accolade to receive! God ignored her lack of faith, and three months later Sarah found herself pregnant! (The promise was for birth in one year’s time). Apparently it was during those three months that she dared to believe God would keep His promise, for once she became pregnant, then faith would no longer have been needed (see Hebrews 11:1).

Think how gracious God is to us. Even in our weak but growing faith, He still fulfills His promises to us. He gives us far more than our faith deserves! If He could say concerning nonbelievers, “… their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it?” (Rom 3:3), how much more will He be faithful to those who have believed in His Son? Sarah reminds us of the interchange Jesus had with the father of the young boy who was deaf and mute. “Jesus said to him … ‘All things are possible to him who believes.’ Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, ‘I do believe; help my unbelief’” (Mark 9:23–24).

Lord, I believe, help my unbelief!