Sarah's story (Genesis 11:29-23:19) does not seem to be one of consistent faith. Sarah, initially called Sarai, was unable to bear children (Genesis 11:30), but God promised that her husband Abraham would be the father of a great nation (Genesis 12:2), so many that they would not be able to be counted (Genesis 13:16, 15:5). Was it faith or the desire to have an inheritor that caused Sarah to tell Abraham to sleep with her servant? Certainly the result of that union was much misery as Sarah was jealous of her servant and grew to hate her (Genesis 16:4-6, 21:8-18).

However, God wanted Sarah to bear a son for Abraham (Genesis 17:16-19). But Abraham laughed at such impossibility. Later, when God visited Sarah and told her the same promise, she also laughed in derision (Genesis 18:10-15). When challenged, Sarah lied and said she did not laugh. But she had enough faith to sleep with her husband when she was 90 and he was 99 years old. And they did have a son and named him Isaac, according to God's promise (Genesis 17:19). Isaac means 'he will laugh'!

And yet, despite Sarah's confusion and impulsiveness to fulfil God's promise her way, and despite her disbelief, fear and lying when she heard God confirming the promise to her - Sarah is described as a woman of faith. However weak her faith, and ungodly her attitudes and actions, she trusted enough to allow God to work. Her faith may have been small but God's power was very big.

Sarah's story may be the encouragement we need. When we look back and see the trail of fear and folly in our own lives, we may have more in common with Sarah than we realise. However Sarah's legacy is not marked by her failures but by her faith. Like the father of Mark 9:24 we may say, 'I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!' And yet our Adversary, the devil, would like to tie us to our history of fear and failure. He has no right to do so. However faithless we were yesterday, we can and must repent today - so that we trust the Lord and work with Him instead of against Him. He has the power, but He wants us to exercise the faith He gives us.