Abraham and Sarah are prominent characters in the Old Testament. Who doesn’t remember singing “Father Abraham” a thousand times when you were little? What does their story have to do with a faith that suffers?

We read about the covenant, or agreement, that God makes with them. The agreement is that God will make it so they can have children. As a symbol of this agreement, God changes their names from Abram (exalted father) to Abraham (father of all) and Sarai (princess) to Sarah (noblewoman).

Where is the suffering? They are old. They have tried all their lives to have children in a time when having children was the most important thing. They have suffered. Now they are going to give birth to many nations. The raising of this child is not easy. Those children will suffer as well — basically, what we read in the rest of the Old Testament. Yet, they believe. The agreement means God will be with them through all that will come, and that makes them strong.

By Stephen Mazingo from D365