“19 This is the account of the family line of Abraham’s son Isaac.Abraham became the father of Isaac, 20 and Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan Aram and sister of Laban the Aramean.21 Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was childless. The Lord answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant.” NIV

Imagine becoming the father of twins at the age of 60!  Warren Wiersbe makes this helpful point: ‘Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah. For twenty years, they waited for a family that did not come. God blessed Isaac in everything but the thing he wanted most. He and Rebekah knew that God had promised descendants (Gen. 15:5), so Isaac laid hold of the promise and prayed. True prayer lays hold of God’s Word (John 15:7) and seeks to accomplish God’s purposes.’ ‘With the Word’, p.33.

‘The fulfilment of God’s promise is always sure, yet it is often slow. The faith of believers is tried, their patience exercised, and mercies long waited for are more welcome when they come. Isaac and Rebekah kept in view the promise of all nations being blessed in their posterity, therefore were not only desirous of children, but anxious concerning every thing which seemed to mark their future character.’ Matthew Henry.

Prayer changes things. Let us believe God and pray on. It is not the case that we can have just anything we want. But if our request is in line with God’s Word, if we are standing on His promises, we can have great boldness and confidence in our prayers.

God didn’t merely give Isaac what He asked; He gave Him more. He so regularly does.

‘’Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to the power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.’’ (Ephesians 3:20,21).

PRAYER: Lord, increase our faith.