Genesis 18:6-14 "And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth. And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it. And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat. And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son."
When the LORD appeared unto Abraham on this occasion, He tarried with Abraham for a while. Abraham had time for Sarah to bake three cakes on the hearth (no electric mixers or microwaves to speed up the process). Abraham picked a fine calf out of his herd and had it dressed and prepared for eating. If any of you grew up on and around farms like I did, then perhaps you have experienced what it takes to dress an animal and prepare it for the table. Yet, God tarried for Abraham to conduct this act of worship and received it to Himself.
When the meal was finished, God reiterated His promise to Abraham. He told Abraham that He would return according to the time of life, and Sarah would have a son. Certainly, it is reasonable to assume that God was speaking of Sarah delivering this son in nine months according to the natural process of things. Remember that the scripture says that Sarah was old enough that her body no longer carried out the cycle that we relate to being able to bear children. God was showing His great power and kindness here by telling Sarah and Abraham that He would return to them this ability to have children despite the passing of time.
Sarah laughed to herself, but God still heard it. There is no point in denying even our most private thoughts when we are confronted by the presence of the Holy Spirit. God rebuked Sarah for her laughter because it was born of doubt rather than joy as Abraham’s laugher had been (Genesis 17:17). The LORD then poses the question “Is anything too hard for the LORD?”
Beloved of God, please consider these things. God always has time for your offering of worship and praise, and He will not abandon you in it. He can return us to “the time of life,” so that we might praise Him and trust His promises regardless of the passage of time or the toll it may take on us. We can hide nothing of our thoughts from Him. Truly, there is nothing too hard for the LORD!