Life with God is often not as man or we expected

Now for the other brother, the youngest, the promised child, Isaac.

“This is the account of the family line of Abraham’s son Isaac. Abraham became the father of Isaac, ²⁰ and Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan Aramand sister of Laban the Aramean. ²¹ Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was childless. The Lord answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant. ²² The babies jostled each other within her, and she said, “Why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the Lord. ²³ The Lord said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.” (Genesis 25 v 19-23)

There are so many similarities among the next generation descended from Abraham and Sarah.

Isaac’s wife, Rebekah, is barren. A few verses later, we read that Isaac was 60 years old when the twins were born. So for 20 years (v20), they prayed for her to conceive. I am sure you know the experience of praying for something for a long time. Prayer often needs persistence. But notice the difference within the similarity. Unlike his father, Isaac didn’t take matters into his own hands. There was no new Hagar in this story. Just patient intercession.

Then God answers only to find that what should have been a joyous occasion was actually a painful one. Sometimes the new chapter of our lives contains new complications, questions and struggles. The question that is often cried, ‘Why?’ is uttered. When was the last time you prayed that prayer? ‘Why God?’ Sometimes the gift is wrapped in confusion.

Again, a mirror of the story already told: ‘older will serve the younger’. Like Ishmael not being the main character, it comes up again here: Esau will serve Jacob. Man’s expectations of what will happen are again overturned by God. People around you may assume one thing today; they may have their predictions, but God’s purposes often challenge and usurp man’s understanding.

Your life may not be making much sense right now. Bring it before God. It makes sense to Him, and His plan will roll out and bring glory to His name.

.