We live in a world that is all about doing things the most efficient way and getting results instantly. Nobody likes to wait anymore! Information can be obtained or communicated in seconds using the internet on our phones. We have labour saving devices that allow us to clean and wash with minimal time and effort. Microwave ovens have taught us that a meal can be ready in a fraction of the time compared to conventional cooking and if we choose to eat out, there are fast food restaurants everywhere who pride themselves on the speed at which a customer can be served. I wonder if this is making us more and more impatient when it comes to aspects of life we can't control or speed up?
Abram and Sarai were still waiting to conceive in the way God promised. There was no fast track. They had already tried to speed things up by using Sarai's servant in order to give Abram a son but God was looking to increase Abram's faith and so the waiting continued!
"When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, "I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless. Then I will make my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers." Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, "As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. The whole land of Canaan, where you now reside as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God." Then God said to Abraham, "As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come. This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you. For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner—those who are not your offspring. Whether born in your household or bought with your money, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant. Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant." God also said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her." Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, "Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?" And Abraham said to God, "If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!" Then God said, "Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation. But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year." When he had finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him. On that very day Abraham took his son Ishmael and all those born in his household or bought with his money, every male in his household, and circumcised them, as God told him. Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised, and his son Ishmael was thirteen; Abraham and his son Ishmael were both circumcised on that very day. And every male in Abraham's household, including those born in his household or bought from a foreigner, was circumcised with him."
Genesis 17:1-27 NIV
At ninety nine, Abram hears from God again! God wanted him to keep walking faithfully and to be blameless. God reminds Abram of the covenant that He made between them many years ago but this time, He gives both Abram and Sarai new names! As the father of many nations, Abram was to be known as Abraham. So even though he cannot see it, Abram carries the new name, declaring the fulfilment of God's promise.
A further reminder is given to Abraham concerning the land of Canaan. Despite the fact that he is still a foreigner there, God promises to give Abraham all of this land as an everlasting possession for his family and all of his descendants to come. This must have been a great encouragement in the face of enemies.
Then there is something new that God wants to establish with Abraham as a sign that he is keeping the covenant. Every male in his family and household was to be circumcised! It was to be a sign of an everlasting covenant made in flesh.
Finally, God gives Sarai a new name. She is to be known as Sarah, meaning 'princess' and she will bear a child. They are to call him Isaac, meaning 'laughter', perhaps reminding Abraham of his response to the news as he laughs out loud at the revelation that his ninety year old wife will conceive! I guess they thought that having had Ishmael, they no longer had to wait for Sarai to conceive. God would bless Ishmael too and make him the father of twelve rulers.
The exciting thing was that God revealed that the wait for Sarah to become a mother was nearly over! She would bear Isaac within a year! By faith, in obedience, Abraham immediately takes care of the circumcision of himself and his family and household.
Is there something that you have been waiting for, perhaps for many years? Keep believing and wait for God's timing. As we wait on the Lord our faith is surely growing!
"But those who wait for the LORD [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] Will gain new strength and renew their power; They will lift up their wings [and rise up close to God] like eagles [rising toward the sun]; They will run and not become weary, They will walk and not grow tired." ISAIAH 40:31 AMP
Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for the encouragement we have as we read Abraham's journey of faith. Thank You that You are a covenant-making God but also a covenant-keeping God! We might not see answers to our prayers with our natural eyes but thank You that with our eyes of faith we can be sure that all of Your promises are yes and amen in Jesus.
"For we live by faith, not by sight." 2 Corinthians 5:7 NIV
"For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God." 2 Corinthians 1:20 NIV
Thank You that You are with us through the waiting, showing Your faithfulness in so many ways, giving us renewed strength as we walk close to You.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen.
"For you are the fountain of life, the light by which we see."
Psalms 36:9 NLT
YOU ARE READING
Light and Life for Today
SpiritualA daily devotional for your time alone with God. In an increasingly dark world, more than ever, we need to look beyond what we can see, past our present circumstances. In order to see the light and experience life as our Heavenly Father intended, I...
