“God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” Number 23:19 (NIV)
What does this verse actually mean?
You see, as humans it’s very easy to forget God’s promises. It’s very easy to think that God has abandoned us during difficult times.
We should constantly remind ourselves of His promises and pray for patience and calmness during seasons of waiting.
In today’s devotion, I am reflecting upon the promises of God. We will look at the story of Abraham and Sarah and His promises to them. I will also share my testimony about God’s promise to me.
I hope you will be inspired.
God’s Promises to Abraham & Sarah
Think about the story of Abraham and Sarah,
God promised Abraham that he will have a son at old age:
“I 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.” Genesis 17:16
But how? As humans we will ask. Sarah was barren. “Now Sarai was childless because she was not able to conceive.” Genesis 11:30
Genesis 18:9-15 (NIV)
9 “Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked him. “There, in the tent,” he said.
10 Then one of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.” Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. 11 Abraham and Sarah were already very old, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing. 12 So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?”
13 Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’ 14 Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”
15 Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.” But he said, “Yes, you did laugh.”
Genesis 21: 1-2 (NIV)
“Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised. Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him.”
From this story, I often ask myself:
How many of us would react like Sarah did – laugh in disbelief? How would she get pregnant at the age of ninety?
Notice what God told Abraham, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?”
Did God lie to Sarah and Abraham? Absolutely not, we see that Sarah bore Abraham a son at old age.
Did God change his mind? Absolutely not, he kept his promise, despite Sarah barrenness and age.
Did God promise and not carry it through? Absolutely not.
So why do we doubt God’s promises? Why do we look at impossibilities yet God says there is nothing impossible for him? Why do we forget his promises?
My testimony – God Fulfilled His Promise to Me
When I was pregnant for our last child, I prayed to God to give me a calm, painless, natural birth.
During my previous pregnancy, I underwent an emergency C-section and that made me feel very inadequate.
I felt as though I was a lesser mother. The people around me made me feel worse.
They kept telling me I wasn’t patient enough, I used the wrong doctor who just wanted the babies out as soon as possible, I took a shortcut to avoid the pain of natural delivery and so many other negative comments.
How mean?
Unfortunately, because I did not put God at the center, these negative words and thoughts got into me and for my next delivery, I wanted a natural birth. My mind was fixed, I wanted nothing else.
Nothing wrong with that.
Only that God had a different plan for me, He wanted my child to be safe. And so, despite doing what I thought was humanly going to make me have a natural birth, I ended up with a C-section delivery.
We waited for this baby to come naturally until I was close to 2 weeks past due. There was no sign of labor! Nothing.
When I look back, I should have let God’s will be done. He answered my prayer. He gave me a healthy, beautiful, calm baby.
Did God lie? Absolutely not.
He knows best and I have learnt to trust him.
He blessed us with a healthy child, very calm and filled our lived with so much joy. What more could I ask for?
What did I Learn?
I learnt to let God take control and not rely on my human understanding. To wait patiently upon his promises.
My fear was that I may never wake up from the sedation of surgery and that I will have a hard time breastfeeding and a longer path to recovery. I was very wrong!
My surgery went very smooth; the baby was able to latch as soon as she was brought to me. I had plenty of milk on the night after delivery. Despite the pain after surgery, God gave me comfort and helped me through it all.
God fulfilled his promises to me.
God has placed me in a unique position, to share my story with other women who may feel inadequate because their mode of delivery was not as expected.
You are loved by God; you are a conqueror!
God knows the plans he has for you. He says: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
Your story may be different from mine but always remember:
“God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” Number 23:19
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