Judging God

The following blog pertains to the bible reading plan passages Hebrews 10-13, Galatians 1, Psalms 98-100. 

Heb 11:11 -  Through faith also Sarah herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. KJV  

Heb 11:11 makes a striking statement about Sarah: “She judged Him faithful who had promised.” This single sentence reveals the secret behind her miracle.  

Sarah was ninety years old, long past the natural possibility of childbearing. Yet in Genesis 18:10, God gives her a promise - she will have a son. The miracle did not happen only because God majors in the impossible, but because of Sarah’s posture toward the promise.  

First, Sarah had faith - “By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed…” (Heb. 11:11a). She did not begin in faith - she began with unbelief and laughter (Gen 18:10, 12), but transitioned from doubt to becoming a faith hero.  

Secondly, Sarah’s faith was activated by her judgement of God - “…because she judged Him faithful who had promised.” (Heb. 11:11b). Sarah believed that God can and is willing to do what he has promised. Her miracle was tied to her verdict about God. She passed judgement on His character - and she judged Him faithful.  

We too have been given exceeding great and precious promises (2 Pet. 1:4). But the manifestation of these promises is not automatic. The realisation hinges much on this truth: Faith - activated by how we judge God.  

As co-labourers with God, He entrusts us with visions. And just as God’s promise to Sarah could not be contained by her natural circumstances, the visions God gives us are always bigger than us and our natural circumstances. Their fulfilment depends on faith activated by our judgement of who God is. What is your judgement of God concerning the vision He has given you? Do you judge Him  faithful or do you see the impossibility of the vision?  

In Luke 19:11-27, the only servant who did not trade and therefore made no gains was the one who judged his master wrongly. His verdict became his outcome  - he received the same judgement he passed. This principle applies to us today – how we judge God will determine whether or not we receive the fulfilment of His promise to us.   

Our judgement of God will determine three things - 1) The actions we take regarding His vision to us. 2) Our productivity in that vision. 3) The reward we receive - now and in eternity  

Can you judge God faithful when everything around you seems impossible? Can you judge Him good when your circumstances feel bad? Can you judge Him loving when people around you seem indifferent? Your occupation with the vision, your productivity, and your reward all flow from your judgement of who God is.   

Regardless of the size of the vision, let us fear lest we judge God wrongly and earn the title of a wicked servant. Sarah earned a place amongst the faith heroes because of her judgement of God.  Let’s get to work with this judgement - God is faithful who has given us the vision, and He will fulfil it.