Abraham: Believing the Promise

Rabbi Jason

Abraham is one of the most influential figures in the Bible. God called him and his family to migrate approximately six hundred miles to Haran. Later in another bold step of faith, he left Haran with his nephew Lot “not knowing where he was going” (Hebrews 11:8 TLV). Instead of trying to figure out where and how, he chose to trust God’s guidance as he moved his caravan farther into the unknown.

As Abraham and his caravan set up camp some 400 miles past Haran, God appeared to him speaking comforting, covenantal words and promises. God chose Abraham to receive physical and spiritual blessings. On the physical side, Abraham would become the father of the Jewish people through a son, Isaac. Out of this line, Messiah would be born. On the spiritual side, Abraham had a unique relationship with his Creator.

Did Abraham sometimes mess up? Of course he did. Yet God quickly forgave this man He had called to be the father of a great nation. God continued telling Abraham to expect to have heirs even though, by this time, he and Sarah were well past the childbearing years. What God was doing did not always make sense to Abraham’s natural mind, but his faith did not waver because he trusted and rested in God’s faithfulness and timing.

God’s timing in our lives is one of those things that often trips us up. We sometimes wonder what He is doing and question if He is even listening. We struggle like Job: “I cry out to you, God, but you do not answer; I stand up, but you merely look at me” (Job 30:20 NIV). But in the end, faith recognizes that God is wiser than we are and that He is outside of time. He sees the whole picture and is doing something bigger than we can imagine. As we acknowledge Him, trust Him, and lean not on our own understanding, He lights the path for us to follow (see Proverbs 3:5–6). Abraham recognized this and trusted God’s faithfulness. As hard as it is at times, so should we.

Like many people, my life has had its ups and downs. Looking back, I can now appreciate those lingering seasons of wrestling and waiting, but I’m not going to try to sound all superspiritual and say it’s easy. I knew God had a plan for me and that He always provided, yet my endurance was wearing thin. I was weary, and nothing seemed to be happening. At times the silence was indeed loud. How much longer, Lord? How long?

When Abraham and Sarah were weary from wrestling and waiting, God renewed Abraham’s faith with a new vision. Abraham realized God was in control and there was nothing he could do outside of believing God’s promises. God’s promises are never in doubt. When we endanger God’s promises, there will be consequences, but that doesn’t stop God from moving forward with His purposes. We can still trust Him when our field of vision is narrow. Sometimes when things seem impossible, we need to let God cast a new vision for us.

Respond

How do you respond when you are weary of waiting on God to answer your prayers?

How can time in God’s Word renew your vision of God’s plans for you?

How can your trust in God’s timing and purposes impact your seasons of waiting on Him?