The-Way

Part 3 The Secret Strength of Private Faith

Tonight, we continue our journey of looking from the inside out. While Hagar, the Egyptian servant, was viewed as a perpetual outsider, Sarah’s perspective was that of the ultimate insider. This dynamic is mirrored in the parable Jesus told of two men at the Temple:

*”The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector…’ But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’”*¹

We often assume that being the “insider” is the easier path. But as we see in that Temple court, the insider often struggles with a unique set of barriers: pride, the weight of expectations, and a heart that can become hardened by the very walls meant to protect it.

In our last study, we looked at Hagar and the “cost of moving too fast.” We saw how human impatience created a wilderness for an outsider. But what about the one who stayed in the tent? Today, we turn our eyes toward Sarah. If Hagar is the story of the God who sees the outcast in the desert, Sarah is the story of the God who remembers the woman behind the curtain.

The Strength and Faith to Wait

For twenty-five years, Sarah lived in a state of “not yet.” She left her home in Ur with her husband, Abraham, based on a promise that seemed increasingly impossible as the years passed. At her age, she was certain of her barrenness. Sarah’s hope had been replaced by a quiet, protective cynicism.

*And He said, “I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.” (Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him.)*²

Sarah was on the inside of the tent; there was a veil or wall between her and the Lord as she listened to the conversation. When the Lord visited the oaks of Mamre and promised a son within the year, Sarah didn’t shout for joy. She laughed.

*”So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, ‘After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?’”*³

This wasn’t the laughter of joy; it was the laughter of a heart that had been disappointed too many times to risk believing again. But God’s response to her is the question we must all answer in our own seasons of waiting: **”Is anything too hard for the Lord?”**⁴

The “Perseverance of Faith” Connection

While we often remember Sarah for her laugh of doubt, the New Testament remembers her for her perseverance. In the great “Hall of Faith,” she stands as a pillar of strength:

*”By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised.”*⁵

The Greek word used for “power” here is dunamis. It suggests that Sarah’s faith wasn’t just a feeling; it was the divine “power” that allowed the impossible to become reality. She moved from looking at her own “worn out” body to looking at the character of the One who spoke.

Building the Foundation

Sarah’s life proves that being “part of the plan” doesn’t mean being perfect. It means staying in the tent, holding onto the promise even when you’re laughing in your head, and eventually “considering Him faithful.” Her strength became the foundation for the entire nation of Israel.

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father, we thank You that You are a God who hears the laughter in our heads and the doubts in our hearts, yet You do not turn away. For every one of us sitting “inside the tent,” waiting for a promise that feels long overdue, grant us the dunamis—Your divine power—to keep standing. Move us from self-reliance to a deep trust in Your character. Help us to consider You faithful, even when our circumstances say otherwise. Amen.

Tomas

Bibliography & Footnotes

1. Luke 18:11–13 (NIV). The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector.

2. Genesis 18:10 (NKJV). The Lord’s promise at the Oaks of Mamre.

3. Genesis 18:12 (ESV). Sarah’s internal reaction to the promise.

4. Genesis 18:14 (BSB). The rhetorical question regarding God’s omnipotence.

5. Hebrews 11:11 (NIV). Sarah’s inclusion in the “Hall of Faith.”