The years continue to pass in Abraham’s life and God step by step continues to demonstrate His Faithfulness toward Abraham. Abraham has grown to see that God is His provider. When Melchizedek, “priest of the most high God” offered Abraham possessions; Abraham’s reply was that God was His provider and thus Abraham declined the offer. Yet, ten years have passed and still no child to fulfill the promise God had made to Abraham. God then “came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.2 And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?3 And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.4 And, behold, the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.6 And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.” (Genesis 15) It would be 15 more years before Isaac would be born. God would be faithful, providing the seed that would lead to redemption. Abraham’s faith in that promise would waiver during those years, at times strong and others easily persuaded to take the matter into his own hands to “help God out.”
Is there any promise that you are awaiting God’s fulfillment? Is there any direction that you were sent by God and now you wonder if you heard Him right because now the future seems frightening? You had prayed, you had fasted, and you had been given clear direction. As a great leap of faith you obeyed. Then comes the famine, the waiting period, and a sense of anxiety rises so that you think perhaps God wants you to rush in and help Him fix this.
Many times, God delays His fulfillment of the plan for several reasons. Those reasons include:
1. He must wait so that all those looking from the outside in know that it was God who completed the promise. His name will be glorified.
2. He must prepare you for this precious gift by growing up your faith in Him. He needs you to learn to rely on Him—only then can you recognize the magnificence of His gift toward you.
God spoke to Abraham on many occasions reaffirming His covenant promise to Abraham and step by step He prepared Abraham to receive that promise in all its magnitude and amazing awe of God’s Glory. Would Abraham have recognized the amazing Grace, Mercy, Love and Faithfulness of God had Isaac been born as soon as Abraham arrived to the new land 25 years earlier? Would Abraham been able to raise Isaac with the stories of God’s Faithfulness in spite of Abraham’s own failures at times? Yet, it was never Abraham’s perfection at “getting this right every time” that brought about God’s work. It was God’s Grace and Mercy that accepted a heart bent toward God in faith; however, stumbling that faith seemed at moments. It was God who knew exactly what was needed to grow that faith into a flame that burned throughout all the centuries to follow. Once more we see that God’s Covenant with man is
1. God’s Covenant Plan of Redemption by Grace through faith
2. God’s Covenant of His Own Faithfulness
© 2014 Effie Darlene Barba
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to any brands, products or services that I have mentioned with the exception of my own book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides regarding the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”