Today’s Bible Reading:
Genesis 13:5-15:21; Matthew 5:27-48; Psalm 6:1-10; Proverbs 1:29-33
Something caught my attention as I read Genesis 15: 1-6.
1 Some time later, the Lord spoke to Abram in a vision and said to him, “Do not be afraid, Abram, for I will protect you, and your reward will be great.”
2 But Abram replied, “O Sovereign Lord, what good are all your blessings when I don’t even have a son? Since you’ve given me no children, Eliezer of Damascus, a servant in my household, will inherit all my wealth. 3 You have given me no descendants of my own, so one of my servants will be my heir.”
4 Then the Lord said to him, “No, your servant will not be your heir, for you will have a son of your own who will be your heir.” 5 Then the Lord took Abram outside and said to him, “Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That’s how many descendants you will have!”
6 And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith.
7 Then the Lord told him, “I am the Lord who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land as your possession.”
8 But Abram replied, “O Sovereign Lord, how can I be sure that I will actually possess it?” (emphasis mine)
2 But Abram replied, “O Sovereign Lord, what good are all your blessings when I don’t even have a son? Since you’ve given me no children, Eliezer of Damascus, a servant in my household, will inherit all my wealth. 3 You have given me no descendants of my own, so one of my servants will be my heir.”
4 Then the Lord said to him, “No, your servant will not be your heir, for you will have a son of your own who will be your heir.” 5 Then the Lord took Abram outside and said to him, “Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That’s how many descendants you will have!”
6 And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith.
7 Then the Lord told him, “I am the Lord who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land as your possession.”
8 But Abram replied, “O Sovereign Lord, how can I be sure that I will actually possess it?” (emphasis mine)
What strikes me is the contrast between Abram’s response to God in verse 6 and then in verse 8. When the LORD says He will indeed bless Abram with a son and that his descendants will number like the stars Abram believes God. Just that simple.
But then when the LORD tells him that He will be giving Abram possession of lands he questions it. Is one easier to believe than the other? And isn’t that just like us to boldly proclaim in one breath that we believe God, we believe what He says, we believe who He says He is and then in the next breath to doubt Him all over again. To doubt His promises, His goodness, His power, His love. I am reminded once again of the cry of a boy’s father in Mark 9:24, “I believe. Help my unbelief.”
Abram came to God with his fears and doubts and God met Him there. He did no deride Abram for those feelings but assured Him of His great and precious promises and His power to protect and provide. Abram had just come from defeating a much larger army to rescue his nephew Lot and his family who had been taken captive. And yet doubts and fears had crept in despite this great victory. It really is the story of my walk. How often doubts and fear creep in. It is in those times that I need reminding. God uses His word to remind and encourage me. To help me when my faith is small and I struggle to believe. In those times I often turn to the book of Ephesians or Philippians or I read one of the Gospels. His Word strengthens me and erases my doubts. And someday…someday I will no longer require having my heart stirred to remember, but for now I thank God that He has not left us alone, that He has given us His word to bring to remembrance all that He has said and the many ways He has shown Himself a keeper of promises.
But then when the LORD tells him that He will be giving Abram possession of lands he questions it. Is one easier to believe than the other? And isn’t that just like us to boldly proclaim in one breath that we believe God, we believe what He says, we believe who He says He is and then in the next breath to doubt Him all over again. To doubt His promises, His goodness, His power, His love. I am reminded once again of the cry of a boy’s father in Mark 9:24, “I believe. Help my unbelief.”
Abram came to God with his fears and doubts and God met Him there. He did no deride Abram for those feelings but assured Him of His great and precious promises and His power to protect and provide. Abram had just come from defeating a much larger army to rescue his nephew Lot and his family who had been taken captive. And yet doubts and fears had crept in despite this great victory. It really is the story of my walk. How often doubts and fear creep in. It is in those times that I need reminding. God uses His word to remind and encourage me. To help me when my faith is small and I struggle to believe. In those times I often turn to the book of Ephesians or Philippians or I read one of the Gospels. His Word strengthens me and erases my doubts. And someday…someday I will no longer require having my heart stirred to remember, but for now I thank God that He has not left us alone, that He has given us His word to bring to remembrance all that He has said and the many ways He has shown Himself a keeper of promises.
May grace, peace, and mercy abound,
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