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.”
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. You have given me no descendants of my own, so one of my servants will be my heir.” – Genesis 15:1-3
God has promised Abram that his descendants will be as numerous as the dust of the earth (13:16), but Abram is confused by the fact that he is still without a son of his own. He calls God “Sovereign Lord” showing that he recognizes God is in charge. God reminds him – My will, my way, my time. God confirms his promise again to Abram, telling him his descendants will be as numerous as the stars in the sky (15:5).
And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith. – Gen. 15:6
God reminded Abram that the promise for his descendants included the promise for a territory or inheritance. Abram’s response – “O Sovereign Lord, how can I be sure that I will actually possess it?” Abram again recognizes that God is in charge and God again confirms his promise (15:8,18-19).
The Scriptures say that Abraham had two sons, one from his slave wife and one from his freeborn wife. The son of the slave wife was born in a human attempt to bring about the fulfillment of God’s promise. But the son of the freeborn wife was born out of God’s own fulfillment of his promise (Galatians 4:22-23).
Sarai tried to force God’s will her own way in her own time by having Abram lay with her servant girl, Hagar. Then in jealousy, Sarai treated Hagar harshly so Hagar ran away. God SAW Hagar’s pain (16:13) and met with her, but sent her back to Sarai. Later, after the birth of Sarah’s son Isaac, Hagar was sent away. This time God HEARD Hagar’s pain and met with her, providing for her needs and blessing her son. Again God makes it clear – My will, my way, my time.
There have been too times in my life when I, too, have made a human attempt to force God’s hand. What a great reminder for me this morning that God has a plan, God has a way and God has His own timing. I can rest and relax in His Sovereignty!
“I am El-Shaddai – ‘God Almighty.’ Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life. I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants.” – Genesis 17:1-2
God again confirmed His promise to Abram. He changed his name to Abraham, which means ‘father of many’ and changed Sarai’s name to Sarah, stating He would bless her richly and make her the mother of many nations. At ages 100 and 90, what God was promising seemed humanly impossible. But God is Sovereign and for Him nothing is impossible.
Abram loved Ishmael and asked God to fulfill His promise through his son.
God’s will: “No – Sarah, your wife will give birth to a son for you. You will name him Isaac, and I will confirm my covenant with him and his descendants as an everlasting covenant…” (17:19).
God’s way: “But my covenant will be confirmed with Isaac, who will be born to you and Sarah…” (17:21)
God’s time: “…about this time next year” (17:21)
Three men appeared to Abraham one day to once again confirm God’s promise: “I will return to you about this time next year, and your wife, Sarah, will have a son!” (18:10). Sarah was listening to this conversation from the tent and laughed silent to herself saying, “HOW could a worn-out woman like me enjoy such pleasure, especially when my master – my husband – is also so old?” (18:12)
Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh? Why did she say, ‘Can an old woman like me have a baby?’ Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.” (18:13-14).
What a great reminder to start off my day! With a cup of morning coffee and a word from the Lord, I’m eager to face what is ahead. All the “How?” questions rattling around in my brain have the same answer – God’s will, God’s way, and in God’s time. El-Shaddai, I place my day in your hands. God Almighty, I place my life in your hands. Sovereign Lord, I let go and let you decide what happens from here. I long to experience Your will, Your way , in Your time. Amen.