Is Anything Too Extraordinary for the Self-Existing One?
In Genesis 18, God visits Abraham (100 years old) and Sarah (90 years old) and tells them that they’ll have a baby. When Sarah hears this, she laughs. God asks her,
“Why did you laugh? Would that be too far out of the ordinary for the Self-Existing One?”
—Genesis 18:13–14 (simplified)
God’s name is “Jehovah” which translates to “Self-Existing One.” I love that name, because it shows how unique he is. His existence isn’t dependent on any other factors. He doesn’t need the sun or food or water or anything else to live. He lives and exists just because that’s who he is. He is life.
The fact that God lives and exists independently is truly extraordinary! Nothing else does that!
God’s self-existence is the most extraordinary feat ever. So when God asks Sarah, “Is anything too extraordinary for the Self-Existing One?” it would be like asking, “Is there anything too extraordinary for the most extraordinary being in existence?” If God can sustain his own existence, then surely he can cause a 90-year-old woman to become pregnant. And he can surely do extraordinary things in our lives today.
I really love this passage. When I read it, I picture God as a quirky gentleman with a top hat and monocle who is the richest guy in the world and can do whatever he pleases. The rules don’t apply to him because he’s so rich and powerful. He can do things we could never even dream of, because he exists and operates so far outside of the bounds of what’s normal. I imagine him like “the most interesting man in the world” from the old beer commercials. Or like the infinitely rich Tony Stark in the Iron Man movies. Or like Dumbledore the mastermind from Harry Potter who is always thinking two steps ahead of the bad guy.
He’s like all these incredible characters wrapped up into one… and yet he wants to be close with us. That truly is extraordinary.