Mr. & Mrs. Fix-It
Considered, it is a word that, according to Oxford Dictionary, means “to think carefully about something.” In Romans 4:19, Paul writes about Abraham, “And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about a hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb.” This passage describes the father of many nations, and his position of faith before his descendants outnumbered the stars. Abraham neglected to consider his most impossible situation and maintained His faith in the promises of God. How was this possible? Well, we could look closely at what Abraham did, or we could examine what he did not do. Katanoeó is the original Greek word for consider and is defined as “the act of observing or examining closely.” Abraham did not think carefully about his situation, nor did he observe or examine closely his own body or the deadness of his wife’s womb. What he did consider were the promises of God.
“The natural mind is ever prone to reason when we ought to believe; to be at work, when we ought to be quiet; to go our own way, when we ought steadily to walk on in God’s ways” (George Müller). As human beings, we gravitate toward reasonable explanations, even the science of the matter. It is so much more sound to pay attention to what is right in front of us as opposed to God's Invisible promises. What we often forget is that God is the Creator of science, He can defy the laws of nature for us. Although we live in a fallen, physical world, we do not have to be overcome with negative thinking. Scripture tells us to focus on whatever is good, but the enemy would have us constantly considering our situations (Phil. 4:8). If Satan had things his way, we would ignore God’s promises, fixate on the physical, doubt God’s ability, and attempt to handle things on our own.
It would have been so easy for Abraham and Sarah to scrutinize their situation, become consumed with the despairing facts, obsess over their hopeless reality and then try to take matters into their own hands. Oh yeah, they did do that. Abraham and Sarah indeed took matters into their own hands. In Genesis 15, we find a trusting Abram, a man whom God had promised a natural-born son (4-6). But as time passed, Abram and his wife Sarai considered their ages and physical conditions and decided they would become Mr. & Mrs. Fix-it! They would graciously help God solve their problem. Sarai offered her maidservant as wife to Abram and, without God's consent, he accepted. Shortly thereafter, Ishmael was born. Voila! Their own answer to God’s promise (Gen. 16).
As often as this life presents difficult circumstances, we may find ourselves acting just as hastily as Abram and Sarai. Even with the knowledge of God’s promises, our seeds of faith may fall onto rocky soil and never take root, or into thorny weeds only to be choked by life's trials (Matt. 13:23). Our lack of faith and patience may call for us to consider the cold hard facts that drive us into our “fix it” mode.
After Ishmael was born, God echoed His promise to Abram. Despite the fact that Abram and his wife had stepped outside of His will, God still had a promise to fulfill (Gen. 17). As a sign of their covenant, God granted Abram a new name, Abraham, to signify his mantle as the father of many nations. And, before his wife gave birth to Isaac, she was assigned the name Sarah, more fitting for the mother of God's chosen people (Gen. 21). Mr. & Mrs. Fix-it, Abram and Sarai, had delayed the arrival of God’s promise with their actions; but God’s love proved greater than a multitude of sins (1 Pt. 4:8). When God has a plan for your life, your stupid actions can delay it, but nothing can stop it.
God has a plan for each of us. Despite what things look like, He has it all worked out, all we need to do is trust Him. Abraham was just like us, doubtful and considerate of the wrong things, but God transformed him from Mr. Fix-it into the Father of Many Nations, one whose faith would be an example for generations to come. God can transform us into who we ought to be; from little fix-its who disobey and act without His consent, to faithful children who practice patience and obedience. God can make us into those who are known for considering, not our situations, but God’s Word and His promises. Consider all He is doing, all He has done, and all that is yet to come.
