Abram (later Abraham) was called to be the Father of a Nation that would occupy the promised land of Canaan and be blessed in it. But there was one tiny snag: his wife Sarai (later Sarah) was BARREN! In the times of the Bible, having children, especially a male heir, was a sign of blessing and favor from God. To be barren was to be thought of as somehow inferior or cursed. Wives who could not produce children for their husbands were considered not as valuable as women who could produce offspring.
In the midst of this predicament, God made (and keeps making) a promise to Abram that seems far-fetched: you will be the progenitor of a great nation, and that in him all the families of the Earth will be blessed. How can this be, God? We are coming to the end of our child-bearing time and we have no child. Sarai even went to extreme measures (discussed in a later blog) to try and help God fulfill his promise, but that was not God’s plan. I cannot bless the nations if I have no nation myself! When God makes a promise, though, He is worthy to fulfill it. This is the first stage of the Abrahamic covenant, another covenant of promise.
While we often cannot see the blessings right before our eyes, we can trust God to deliver what He promises. Abram did not see the blessing of a son right before his eyes, but he had a son of promise years later. This experience solidified Abram’s faith and he fulfilled the plan of God. Are you aware of God’s promises to you? Has He given you a promise that you have yet to see fulfilled? If so, learn a lesson from Abram and don’t stop believing, even if you cannot see. God is faithful!!
Devoted To You 