Abraham and the Three Angels by Rembrandt
Let’s talk about Abraham.
That chosen man God called to become the father of a nation, a man of blessing, of promise. That man, that righteous by faith man — he made some, uh, mistakes in his time.
Remember the time he told his wife to pretend she was his sister so the Egyptians wouldn’t kill him? And Pharaoh went and made her his wife? Then Abraham did the same thing with her again at a later date! Incidentally, the fruit doesn’t fall far from the tree. Abraham’s son Isaac did the exact same thing with his wife Rebekah.
Remember also when he listened to his wife and took her maid, Hagar, into his bed so she would conceive a child for him and Sarah? That didn’t turn out so well.
Oh, but Abraham was faithful, even if he was fully human and prone to take matters into his own hands. He loved the Lord, and He eventually stopped questioning the promises of God and just obeyed wholeheartedly, trusting Him completely. And you know, the Scripture says that Abraham, “breathed his last and died in a ripe old age, an old man and satisfied with life” {Genesis 25:8}.
He died satisfied.
Abraham messed up in some big ways — ways that have had lasting consequences to this day, but yet, he died satisfied with his life.
His sins didn’t define him, his faithfulness did.
He was chosen, and you and I, we are chosen as well, for this time in this culture. We are chosen. And when we follow the God who has chosen us, and we, stumbling along, trust in the calling we may not even know over our lives, we will live satisfied. Because what I’ve learned from Abraham is that maybe being satisfied with our lives isn’t so much about our sinful bents or the messes we’ve made, but the willingness to follow a faithful God with wholehearted devotion.
Maybe living satisfied is about trusting the One who holds my days in His hand.
Maybe living satisfied is about getting up when I fall down, changing direction if need be, and keeping on, my gaze set on Jesus.
Maybe living satisfied is making wide-awake choices, knowing that God lets my decisions stand, even in redemption; my choosing matters.
Maybe living satisfied is about believing that God has a purpose for my days, planned before the world began, for such a time as this. And my job is to trust Him by faith, to just keep walking forward knowing the Holy Spirit is guiding me and molding me.
Yes, that’s it, and that’s how I’m going to live because I want to live a faithful, satisfied life. I want to look back over my life one day, and before I breathe my last breath, feel the peace of satisfaction over my life. I lived well. I followed God. I was faithful.
And if you want that as well, I’d love to be your cheerleader.
I’d love to encourage you in laying a foundation for a beautiful, unregrettable life.
With love, Sarah Mae
Click here to learn more about my new course, Longing For Life. We’ll talk about getting unstuck in our souls and embracing who we are, trusting God through the pain of life, and ultimately how all of this leads to trusting God, by faith, with every bit of our lives.
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Bev @ Walking Well With God says
Sarah Mae,
I needed this post this morning. I am up extra early because of unsettling thoughts whirring around in my head. I love this thought, “Trust the One who holds my days in His hand.” I may doubt me, but I can trust Love’s heart for me. Like you, I want to be satisfied at the end of my days and putting my trust in a truly faithful God is the way to go. Thanks for the needed reminder!
Blessings,
Bev
Sarah Mae says
I am so thankful it encouraged you today! 🙂
Debbie Simler-Goff says
Excellent Sarah, thank-you. I get so hung up on my own choices and failings, and wonder if I am ever going to get it right. Thank-you for the reminder. I will be sharing this post with my own readers. :))
Sarah Mae says
Thank you! 🙂
Marianne says
I needed this also, I agree with Bev I love the thought “Trust the One who holds my days in His hand”. I truly needed this.
Sarah Mae says
It always encourages me to know that He knows, all of it. Walking it out by faith…
Nikkisha Bell says
Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom Sarah. Living life well so that when I leave this earthly abode I may leave at peace- satisfied, has been the heart of my prayers. God has been revealing to me that life is but a short breadth so don’t waste it away in worry, unbelief, or judgement. I try so hard to get it right by following His way but truth is I am still learning how to listen and discern His voice from all the other noise. I want the victory of walking in full surrender and godly wisdom. Like Abraham, the “how” often gets in the way of the “what” regarding God’s promises. Thank you for the reminder that I must simply breathe and rest my heart and life in His hands because He IS the one who holds my days! God bless.
Sarah Mae says
Oh, all the voices…don’t I know it! Learning with you to simply follow by faith.
Brittany says
What a beautiful post.
“His sins didn’t define him, his faithfulness did.”
Absolutely. Beautiful.
Sarah Mae says
Thank you!
Penny says
Sara Mae,
Than-you, this is so refreshing,”Living satisfied trusting in the Lord.”
I need to stop worrying so much about what I haven’t done right. For instance, yesterday on my son’s BD I had his cupcakes prepared for his class. But then I knocked his cake on the floor lost half of it and had to start from scratch. I couldn’t believe I could do such a thing.Thankfully @ the end of the day he really enjoyed his BD.
Take Care everyone,
Penny
Sarah Mae says
Sounds like something I would do! 🙂
tisme143 says
Thank You for sharing this with us, I often think that I am on the right path of living my life for GOD, and often find that I still feel empty inside, as though I am here alone.. But I will not give up my GOD and my faith him in,,, My faith , my will keeps me going every day ,
Sarah Mae says
I am finding rest lately in living my life *wit*h God instead of for God…and the with, I think, inevitably becomes the for. Love to you friend.
Beth Williams says
Sarah Mae,
Wow! Great post! We hear of Bible people and forget that they were human also. That they made mistakes, yet God still loved them and called them faithful! It is easy to doubt man, but we all need to Trust God and pray about our decisions!
Blessings 🙂
Cesilia says
Thank you SaraMae. This speaks to my soul I really needed to read this! We will never be perfect , but thankfully He our Father forgives and it’s by our faith we are His! I want to be faithful and live a satisfied life in our Father ! !!!