SUDDENLY

“’As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Avram[exalted father]; your name will be Avraham [father of many], for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you’”
Genesis 17:4-6

Again Avram had the promise. The first time he was told by Adonai that he would be a great nation. This time he was being told his offspring would be too numerous to count. When? And how? As time continued on and his wife continued to be barren and he without a son, doubt settled in. It was then that Sarai, Avram’s wife, came to him with a plan. She had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar. Since Adonai was not allowing her to have children, Sarai told her husband to take Hagar as his wife and build a family through her. In Sarai’s mind, it was a well thought out plan, but it still wasn’t the plan Adonai had in mind. Unfortunately, it was this plan that Avram agreed to. Taking Hagar as his second wife, he lay with her and she conceived. From Hagar was born Avram’s first son, Yishma’el (Ishmael).
It is important to note that at this point Avram was already 86 years old when Yishma’el was born. Eleven years had passed since Adonai first spoke His promise to Avram. Eleven years and the plan that Avram worked from was not even Adonai’s plan. Avram had failed in his faith that Adonai would do what He said. Another thirteen years would pass before Adonai would speak with Avram again on this account and begin to move in His plan. At the age of 99, though, Adonai appeared to Avram and spoke as the El Shaddai [God Almighty]. “’As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Avram [exalted father]; your name will be Avraham [father of many], for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you’” (Gen 17:4-6).
It took some time, but Avram, now Avraham, finally found himself in Adonai’s will. It is said that when Adonai’s time and Adonai’s word intersect, that suddenly happens. Avraham found himself now in that intersection. At the age of 99, suddenly was happening. Please hear me when I say that this applies to us also. When we are in His timing, intersecting with His word, we too will find suddenly happening. Regardless of our age or name, His will can come suddenly.

Genesis 15:7 – 17:6