I guess it could be an enigma or, it could be an encouragement. It could be something I try to rationalize or, something I rejoice in. What’s the “it”? It is Sarah’s faith.

By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered Him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.

(Hebrews 11:11-12 ESV)

Meandering through the Hebrews Hall of Faith this morning. Reminded that faith is the substance (NKJV), or assurance (ESV), of things hoped for (11:1) and that without faith it is impossible to please God (11:6). And with that orientation to faith, the Spirit puts on display various exhibits of faith.

Abel offers to God “a more acceptable sacrifice” by faith (11:4). Enoch is “taken up” because of faith (11:5). Noah builds an ark, again, by faith. And Abraham? Well, though he was “not knowing where he was going”, he left his homeland because of God’s promise and “he went out” by faith (11:8-9).

But then, I come to Sarah. And honestly, as I remember her story back in Genesis, that she was a model of faith isn’t, at first, what comes to mind.

Isn’t she the one who concedes to her barren womb and insists that Abraham use her servant as her surrogate (Gen. 16:1-2)? And when later — after that hadn’t gone too well — the angel of the Lord visits Abraham with a message that within a year his wife, though well into her 90’s, would give birth to a baby, didn’t she laugh out loud (Gen. 18:9-15)? So, what kind of faith is that?

Evidently it was conceiving faith. Though it may have been at times a faltering, frantic, and even feeble faith, yet if the Spirit’s testimony is true — and it is — it was nevertheless believing faith.

Hmm . . . chew on that.

And then thank God that the measure of our faith is not the deciding factor when it comes to the measure of God’s faithfulness. That the degree to which we are able to believe is not a prerequisite determining the degree to which He will fulfill the promise.

“For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” ~ Jesus

(Matthew 17:20 ESV)

So, how does Sarah’s faith make it into the Hebrews 11 Hall of Fame?

Well, it would seem she pleased God and received the promise not because she didn’t struggle with faith but because she didn’t let go of faith. She may have laughed but she didn’t leave. She may have wondered out loud at how it was possible, but she never wandered off convinced it was impossible. Instead, she considered Him faithful who had promised.

And that’s encouraging.

By faith . . . by God’s grace.

By faith . . . for God’s glory.

Amen?