Though Abraham was practically dead, from this one man came as many descendants as there are stars in the sky, as many as the numberless grains of sand on the seashore. Hebrews 11:12 (GNT)
I have to be honest. When I read this text I thought of the Monty Python I’m Not Dead Yet scene in The Holy Grail where they are going through each town picking up the dead. One man is slung over someone’s shoulder yelling “I’m not dead yet!” This made me laugh.
When this text says that Abraham was practically dead (it is translated similarly in other versions), it is referring to his ability to reproduce. God promised him a son and at age 99, he still had not had one. Sarah was 90. She was also physically unable to have children. So what do you do when God has promised something and it looks impossible? When you look at the situation and there is no human possibility it can happen? When you are too old? When your schedule/finances/location are shouting “NO!”?
You do what Abraham and Sarah did. You realize that you are not dead yet and if God says it’s going to happen, you do your part. Isaac was not immaculately conceived (if you know what I mean). Sarah and Abraham had to do their part even though from everything they could see, this was physically impossible.
They did their part and then God did his part and his part made the impossible possible.
Isn’t that what God asked them? Is anything too hard for the Lord? (Genesis 18:14) Obviously, since Isaac was born the next year, the answer to that question is a resounding NO!
This is the lesson for us today. We are not dead yet. When God asks us to do something, we need to remember that even though it looks impossible to us; it is always possible for God. We need to do our part.