God's Plan is No Joke

God's Plan Is No Joke: Lessons from Abraham and Sarah
In Genesis 17 and 18, we find a powerful story about God's plan, human impatience, and the tendency we all have to laugh at what seems impossible. Abraham and Sarah were promised a child in their old age, when Abraham was 100 and Sarah was 90. Their response? They laughed. But God's response reminds us of an important truth: "Is anything too hard for the Lord?"

When We Try to Help God's Plan
God always has a plan. He had one for Abraham and Sarah, but He didn't give them an exact timeline. After waiting for years, they grew impatient and took matters into their own hands. Abraham had a child with Hagar, Sarah's servant, resulting in the birth of Ishmael.
This attempt to "help" God's plan only caused turmoil:

• Hagar became disrespectful toward Sarah
• Sarah mistreated Hagar
• Relationships were damaged
• The consequences of this decision continue to ripple through history

When God later told Abraham that Sarah would bear a son, Abraham laughed and suggested that Ishmael could be the promised heir instead. But God firmly said no, that wasn't His plan.

Why Do We Laugh at God's Plans?
We laugh at God's plans when they don't make sense to our limited understanding. Abraham and Sarah laughed because:

1. It seemed biologically impossible
2. They already had a solution (Ishmael)
3. It didn't fit their timeline
4. It required faith beyond their comfort zone

God knows our thoughts. The Bible tells us in Genesis 6:5 that "God saw that the wickedness of man was greater than the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." Psalm 94:11 reminds us that "the Lord knows the thoughts of man that they are vanity."

Even when Abraham and Sarah tried to hide their laughter, God knew. He sees beyond our words to our hearts.

What Happens When We Try to Control God's Plan?
When we try to control God's plan or make it fit our understanding, several things happen:

• We create unnecessary turmoil
• We miss out on God's best
• We become weary in well-doing
• We become either self-righteous or carnal
• We lose spiritual power in our lives

The truth is, God has never done things exactly the way I thought He should, not once. But every time He does act, I recognize His hand at work.

How Does God Reveal His Plan to Us?
God rarely gives us the full picture of His plan. He may show us the destination, but He doesn't always reveal the journey. This requires faith and patience, two qualities that don't come naturally to most of us.

God's ultimate plan for every believer is simple: to make us like Jesus. That's the destination. But the journey requires daily obedience, even when we don't understand the full picture.

What Does God's Impossible Plan Look Like in Real Life?
God's plans often seem impossible from our perspective. Just as Abraham couldn't imagine having a child at 100 years old, we often can't imagine how God will accomplish what He's promised.

Consider these real-life examples:

• Our church needed $34,000 for parking lot improvements when they weren't making budget
• Completing a $45,000 renovation during COVID when building material prices doubled
• Believing for debt elimination and funding for new building projects

In each case, God provided and/or will provide in ways that couldn't have been predicted or manufactured. His plan is no joke. It's real, and it's powerful.

How Should We Respond to God's Plan?
Instead of laughing at God's plan or trying to help Him out, we should:

1. Trust that His plan is not just the best plan, it's the only plan
2. Obey what we know to do today
3. Stop trying to control the outcome
4. Recognize that obedience brings life
5. Remember that God often reassures us multiple times (He told Abraham three times about the coming son)

Everything boils down to one word: choice. We can choose to trust God and allow that trust to produce obedience in our lives.

Life Application
This week, identify one area where you've been trying to "help" God with His plan. Perhaps you've been impatient with His timing, or you've been suggesting alternatives that make more sense to you. Surrender that area completely to Him.
Ask yourself these questions:

• Where am I laughing at what God has promised?
• What "Ishmael" have I created by trying to help God's plan?
• Am I willing to wait for God's "Isaac" even when it seems impossible?
• How can I demonstrate trust through obedience this week?

Remember, "Trust and Obey" is a wonderful song to sing, but it's a challenging life to live. If living for Jesus was easy, everyone would be doing it. But as we follow Him in obedience, He gives us strength and life. God's plan is no joke, it's worth waiting for, worth trusting in, and worth obeying.