Genesis 16, 17, 18

In Chapter 16, we see that when Abram was about eighty five and Sarai seventy five years old, they were shaken in their faith in God and His promise to them as the parents of many nations. They devised a human plan to produce a son. So was Ishmael conceived in the flesh through their maid Hagar. This would create terrible family conflicts and miseries (V 1-9).

Nevertheless, the gracious Lord God would pour out His grace and Ismael would survive and become the father of a multitude of descendants, the Arab nations. (V 10-16)

In Chapter 17, we see how God is so faithful even though His children failed Him so lamentably. He kept His promise and covenant with Abram however long it takes. Abram had to trust God for the birth of the promised son Isaac for another fourteen years, from eighty six to a hundred years old. Sarai would be ninety years old when she would give birth to Isaac. Both Abram and Sarai would be given new meaningful names of Abraham (Father of nations) and Sarah (Mother of nations) respectively.

God also established the rite of circumcision of all males in Abraham's household and his descendants as the physical sign of the covenant between Him and Abraham.

In Chapter 18 V 1-15, we see God appearing again to Abraham and Sarah one year before the birth of the promised son Isaac and confirmed the promise and covenant once more.

O how faithful is God! how great is He! Nothing is too hard for Him. Nothing is impossible to Him. All things are possible to Him. We must trust Him totally, never doubting Him and never should we try to accomplish God's will and promise to us through our own ways and efforts in the flesh (like Abram and Sarai did bringing about Ismael instead of Isaac, the promised one from God. Read Galatians 4:21-31 too). We need to be patient and persevering faithfully in waiting upon the Lord, no matter the circumstances and length of time. God knows best. He has the perfect plan and timing to accomplish His wonders and miracles in and through our lives surrendered to Him. Let's always trust and obey Our God most faithfully no matter what, where, and when. Amen.

In Genesis 18:16-33, the Lord first shared with His chosen child Abraham about His imminent judgment upon the sinful cities of Sodom and Gomorrah (V 16-22). 

Abraham pleaded to Yahweh on behalf of the sinful cities. He was most probably very concerned about his nephew Lot and his family who had settled in Sodom.

Nevertheless, the level of depravity was so deep that not even ten people were found righteous in Sodom! Imminent divine judgment and destruction of the depraved cities was unavoidable now! (V 23-33)