The saying “delay does not mean denial” speaks to many lives, and scripture has a lot to reveal about it. When God appeared to Abraham at ninety-nine years old and promised him that he would have a child late in life, both he and his wife Sarah doubted. “Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, ‘Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at ninety?’” (Genesis 17:17). And Sarah, whose biological clock had long passed, scoffed. “Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, ‘After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?’” (Genesis 18:12).

All of this did not please God. “Then the Lord said to Abraham, ‘Why did Sarah laugh and say, “Will I really have a child, now that I am old?” Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.’” (Genesis 18:13-14). And guess who would have the last laugh? “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 child to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him.” (Genesis 21:1-2).

Here in these passages, we see two things: The human perspective: First, there is a tendency to weigh things from a human perspective rather than a divine appreciation of the matter. This couple, based on their understanding of human reality, had long given up. Their failing was seeing matters only from a physical angle, lacking spiritual light.

 Then there is limiting God!  based on their limited understanding, they could not imagine that God could turn around their situation. To them, their case was beyond salvation and the chapter of childbearing had been closed. But not so with God! What is impossible with man is possible with God!

Like Abraham and Sarah, any of us can be faced with a situation where, from a physical outlook, all hope is lost. We feel past our “sale date.” What happened to this couple shows that when things no longer make sense to us physically, with God nothing is beyond reach. When we take such matters to Him as we should, He breathes new life and resurrects them. As it is written, “But those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:31 NLT).