Reading: Gen 12:1-7, 15:1-6
Symbol: Field of Stars
Person: Abraham
Theme: The Promise
Oh, Abram. Isn't he a character? I love the relationship between he and God. It's amazing how God had such great plans for Abram but He didn't pour them out on Abram in a timely manner. God waited until Abram was really too old to have children before he granted him the gift of fatherhood. And this is the part I love: God told Abram to 'Fear not. I am your shield; I will make your reward great!" And Abram's response (I'm going to paraphrase) was: "What reward? I have no children." Abram knew he wanted children, and talked back to God in a somewhat challenging way.
What was God waiting for? Did Abram have some leadership lessons to learn? Was there something Abram was lacking that would be cured by spending decades without children? Abram is credited with righteousness - he did everything the Lord asked of him. Why did God make him wait so long for what he wanted: an heir.
I find it interesting that God's reward to Abram was the gift children; parenthood. What other gift could be more precious than the gift of a child? Whether the child is from your womb or from your heart, a child brings something to a parent that can never be duplicated. (I know...along with parenthood comes the joy of discipline, potty training, and those teen years. Yes, God has a sense of humor! I think those struggles are there as an opportunity for us to see how we act toward God at times. I'm just saying...)
This lesson of waiting for God's gifts goes very nicely with my life, as I'm sure there are things in your life you have waited for. I've teased that I never do things right the first time. I'm a habitual failure at most things: I never made the team in high school the first time, I failed tests, didn't get that job, almost married the wrong person... the list goes on. The most difficult waiting period for me was waiting to be chosen as adoptive parents. The trend for adoption is Open Adoptions, in which the birthmother chooses the family she wants to raise her child. We waited for just over 2 years. It seemed forever, but compared to Abram, a blink. We are thrilled that we now have a healthy, beautiful son who came to us this past June.
But God's plan isn't my plan...thankfully. This used to frustrate me; if God truly loved me and wanted me to be happy, why did He make me wait so long? (Sounds like the rantings of a spoiled child, doesn't it?) I'm still learning this lesson: God's timing is perfect. My timing is driven by my own selfish desires.
God's promise to Abram was revealed in the stars. How many of us deserve a reward like that? What can we do today that will be an act that God has planned for us? What can we do that will please God? First, we must know what He wants of us, which can only be accomplished when we take the time to pray and listen.
Today I'm going to think of stars and count my blessings. Today I will spend quiet time in prayer and listen to God instead of dumping all my requests on Him. Today is a day to think of Abram, who became Abraham, who always did what the Lord asked of him. How can we do the same?
Genesis 12
Abram Journeys to Egypt
1Now the LORD said to Abram,
"Go forth from your country,
And from your relatives
And from your father's house,
To the land which I will show you;
2And I will make you a great nation,
And I will bless you,
And make your name great;
And so you shall be a blessing;
3And I will bless those who bless you,
And the one who curses you I will curse
And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed."
4So Abram went forth as the LORD had spoken to him; and Lot went with him. Now Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.
5Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his nephew, and all their possessions which they had accumulated, and the persons which they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan; thus they came to the land of Canaan.
6Abram passed through the land as far as the site of Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. Now the Canaanite was then in the land.
7The LORD appeared to Abram and said, "(M)To your descendants I will give this land " So he built (an altar there to the LORD who had appeared to him.
Genesis 15
Abram Promised a Son
1After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying,
"Do not fear, Abram,
I am a shield to you;
Your reward shall be very great."
2Abram said, "O Lord GOD, what will You give me, since I am childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?"
3And Abram said, "Since You have given no offspring to me, one born in my house is my heir."
4Then behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, "This man will not be your heir; but one who will come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir."
5And He took him outside and said, "Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them " And He said to him, "So shall your descendants be."
6 Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.
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