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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: PROMISE (09/02/21)
(A MONOLOGUE BY SARAH, WIFE OF ABRAHAM)
(ADDRESSES AUDIENCE)

Hello, cherished sons and daughters of God. My name is Sarah. Some of you are giving each other knowing nods, jabbing each other in the ribs and whispering “I know who she is. She’s Abraham‘s wife. She thought she’d give God a hand and gave her maidservant to her husband to have a baby, and she’s the one who had the nerve to laugh at God.”

Guilty as charged.

So let me ask you this: have you ever decided to give God a helping hand? For example, one of you might have had a clear message from God that you would someday be married. And then after years of waiting you have this conversation with God, “You know, Lord, I know that You’ve promised me a husband and Your word says not to be unequally yoked, but time is ticking away and there aren’t a lot of prospects around here. I got it figured out. I’ll just marry Sam over here and then I’ll lead him to the Lord!”

Or maybe there’s a promise from God that is so wonderful that it takes your breath away but you’ve waited so long that you laugh at the promise of it ever coming true. You laugh so that you do not cry in disappointment when it doesn’t come true, at least not in your timing.

I know how it feels. For years my empty arms ached whenever I saw a mother holding her newborn baby. I would grit my teeth and mutter congratulations when a newlywed gushes her news that she is pregnant and that now her entire purpose of being a woman is about to come true, and then she stammers in embarrassment when she realizes I’ve never even had a child.

One time Miriam came running up to me, bubbling over with enthusiasm with her news. “0 Sarah I’m so excited! We’re going to have a baby. We’ve waited so long--six months but we knew God had promised us a baby and now that promise we’ve waited for so long has come true!”

Six months. An eternity—at least for a young newlywed. I had faith that God’s promise would come true, and yet I didn’t have faith
Let me tell you about the time I laughed at God. It all started when three visitors came to see Abraham

I wonder what Abraham and those three visitors are talking about (LEANS TO THE SIDE AS IF SHE’S TRYING TO EAVESDROP). Have a baby next year at this time! Oh, I have heard that one before—I was 65 then and it was a miraculous thought even then. After years of childlessness a baby at any age would be a miracle. But 65!!

But we waited and waited—and no baby. So we decided to “help” God out with Ishmael. Oh my, what a mistake that was. And now I’m supposedly going to have a child at the age of NINETY?? (LAUGHS) What a ridiculous thought.

Oh no they heard me. And the Lord just said, “Why did Sarah laugh? Is anything too hard for the Lord?” I believe you have a phrase “hand caught in the cookie jar?” The only thing worse than laughing at a promise given by the Lord is lying to the Lord. But I couldn’t help it. My heart was frozen in terror at getting caught and my lips spit on a lie in defensive reflex.

But in the bottom of my soul, as incredible as it might sound, the words “is anything too hard for the Lord” planted a seed of faith deep in my soul. Despite everything, all the waiting, all the disappointment—God disappointing me, me disappointing God-- I believed and just like the little baby within me, my faith grew and grew. And finally my son Isaac was born. Do you know what Isaac means? Laughter. Who says God doesn’t have a sense of humor.

The promise was so long in coming but God’s timing is always perfect and so is His power.

Have you been waiting a long time for your promise to come true? Hold on, believe in God’s promises, and some day you too will laugh with me—with joy.
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This article has been read 485 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
Ellen Carr 
09/12/21
You capture Sarah's anguish and faith really well in this monologue. You do a good job of bringing her character alive. And you also bring a wonderful message of hope and encouragement.Great writing!
Sue Botte 
09/13/21
Carefully crafted, clearly written and well communicated, as most of us can relate to Abraham's Sarah. Keep writing.
Tammy Ortung 
09/15/21
Creative approach to the topic. I enjoyed reading this unique insight to Sarah. Great job.
Gloria Pierre Dean
09/24/21
You stood in her shoes and showed how she must have felt. Well done~~~~~
Noel Mitaxa 
11/28/21
You have captured a whole range of emotions in this monologue, from humor to anguish, without amjoring on any single one, and I like how you've wrapped it up.
You might like to check out my entry from a while back, on how not to draw your listeners in. It's called a Potluck Sermon. ;-)