Learning to Wait: Lessons From the Life of AbrahamSample

Good News

…then understand that the ones who have faith, these are sons of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, proclaimed the good news in advance to Abraham: “In you all the nations will be blessed.” Galatians 3:7-8 (LEB)

Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring; it does not say, “And to offsprings,” as of many, but it says, “And to your offspring,” that is, to one person, who is Christ. Galatians 3:16 (NRSV)

And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise. Galatians 3:29 (NRSV)

In this devotional, we have journeyed with Abraham through promise, waiting, laughter, and shadow. As we have done so, we have looked at how the story of this ancient patriarch can help us navigate our own seasons of waiting on God to fulfill his promises to us. The power of this story to disciples comes from its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus. When God called Abraham from his homeland and promised to bless all nations through him, he wasn't just making a covenant with one man. He was announcing the gospel itself, centuries before a star would shine over Bethlehem.

Paul helps make this truth clear: God's pledge to make Abraham's descendants as numerous as the stars wasn't ultimately about biological offspring, but about a worldwide family united by faith (Galatians 3:29, Romans 4:16-17). The promise of blessing wasn't just about material prosperity, but about reconciliation with God himself (Galatians 3:7-8). And most remarkably, the "offspring" through whom all this would come wasn't many descendants, but one specific child: Jesus (Galatians 3:16).

Like Abraham, we experience seasons of waiting, moments of doubtful laughter transformed into joy, and times when God's promises seemed to die before our eyes. In these moments, we can take comfort in knowing that even Abraham—the father of faith—didn't see the complete fulfillment of what God had promised in his lifetime. By faith, he lived as a stranger in the promised land, "looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God" (Hebrews 11:10).

Scripture tells us that Abraham "died in faith, not having received the things promised" (Hebrews 11:13). In fact, none of the Old Testament saints saw the complete fulfillment of what God had promised. As the author of Hebrews explains: "These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect" (Hebrews 11:39-40). That "something better" was Jesus—God's greatest gift, through whom all other promises find their fulfillment.

This is the good news of the gospel: the God who made promises to Abraham has kept them perfectly in Jesus. The blessing promised to all nations is now available to all who believe. Through faith in Christ, we become part of Abraham's family, receiving an inheritance far greater than land or descendants—we receive adoption as God's own children and become full citizens of a heavenly homeland (John 1:12-13, Hebrews 11:14-16).

Our own seasons of waiting, therefore, are not meaningless. Just as Abraham's long years of waiting were part of God's larger story of redemption, our periods of waiting have purpose. The God who was faithful to Abraham is faithful to us. And in Jesus—Abraham's greatest offspring—we find not only the fulfillment of God's ancient promises but also the strength to wait well for all that God has yet to do.

Practice:

Create a "family tree" of faith. Draw or write out your spiritual heritage—the people who have passed down the gift of faith to you. Include:

• Those who first told you about Jesus
• Those who have helped nurture your faith
• Those whose faith has inspired you
• Those you hope to pass the faith on to

As you create this, reflect on how you are part of both Abraham's family of faith and God's forever family. Consider how the promise made to Abraham so long ago has reached you through Jesus.

Prayer:

Thank God for his faithfulness in keeping his promises to Abraham, and through him, to us. Thank him for the gift of Jesus, in whom all God's promises find their "Yes" and "Amen" (2 Corinthians 1:20). Ask him to help you live as a true child of Abraham—walking by faith, trusting his promises, passing on this legacy of faith to others, and looking forward to that heavenly city where we will dwell with God forever.

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