Text: Genesis 12-18
God promised Abram He would make him a great nation, bless him, make his name great, and he would bless others. There was only one problem. Abram and his wife, Sarai, were childless and old. The promise did not immediately come to pass. Did Abram hold on to his faith without wavering? Scripture tells us of several incidents where he had his ups and downs.
He and the family are headed toward Canaan, but they stop in Haran. His father decides to stay there. After a time, Abram, Sarai, his nephew, Lot, and their company move on toward their destination. They arrive in a famine, so go down to Egypt. The thought crosses Abram's mind that if the king of Egypt sees his beautiful wife, Sarai, he'll kill Abram so he can take her for himself. He convinces Sarai to tell the man she's his sister. After all, she is his half-sister. So, Abram conjures up a hope of dying in Eygpt. He forgets about God's promise. He can't be a great nation if he's dead. God was well able to protect them.
God bolsters Abram with another promise. He tells him to look in every direction. That land will be given to him and to his seed forever by God. God tells Abram his seed will be like the sand.
When five kings raid Sodom and take his nephew, Lot, Abram takes his men (a small band in comparison to five kings and their armies) and defeats them. He returns the spoil stolen and gives an offering to Melchizedek. Way to go, Abram! He's trusting the Lord.
God again promises to make Abram a great nation. Scripture doesn't tell us too much other than Sarah convinces Abram to take her maid, Hagar, and have a child. Perhaps they thought the child would come through Abram but not Sarai. They replaced what God said with another hope. Hagar has a son, Ishmael, and Abram focuses on the boy as his future heir. He's no longer trusting God to give him a son through Sarai.
At the age of 99, Abram has some visitors, and makes them a feast. One inquires about his wife, Sarai. Abram tells him she's inside the tent. The visitor (who's no ordinary visitor) informs Abram that he would come again and visit her according to the time of life, and she would have a son, Isaac. The visitor also tells him all the males in the household must be circumcised to be included in the covenant. His mind is so on Ishmael, that he asks a blessing on him. The visitor reiterates Abram will have a son by Sarai, and challenges her for laughing at his proclamation. Their names are changed to Abraham and Sarah.
Abraham rises and obeys the visitor's words concerning circumcision. His obedience signals his belief in all the visitor had to say.
Holding fast to God's promises, whether general for all believers or specific to you, is difficult when circumstances and time make it seem impossible. Think about all God's promises in Scripture, and saturate yourself with them and songs containing Scripture. Rid yourself of contrary thoughts, fears, and reports.
Remember: God didn't give up on Abraham, and He won't give up on you.
1 comment:
This series has helped me so much in terms of hope versus faith. I use to think that if I was hoping for something I was not in faith. I was not even sure how to put it into words which is a real problem since we are supposed to confess our hope (smile). It is good to know that if you do have a hope based on the word of God you are not out of faith.
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