Readings for the day: Genesis 12 and 13
Welcome to week 2! This week begins with the call to Abram. A seminal event in salvation history. God choosing one man from one family, one clan, one tribe descended from Noah’s oldest son Shem to become the father of a great nation. God’s nation. The nation of Israel.
And what is God’s call to Abram? Essentially the same call He gave to Adam and Eve. The same call He gave to Noah and his family. Be fruitful. Multiply. Fill the earth. Have dominion. Only this time, God isn’t going to leave it up to Abram. Because human beings remain so prone to evil, God steps in...
- I will make of you a great nation! (Be fruitful)
- In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed! (Multiply)
- Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land I will show you! (Fill the earth)
- I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing! (Have dominion)
All that sounds well and good except Abram’s got issues! He is 75 years old which is not the best time in life to be starting over. His wife Sarai is barren and their childlessness is a source of incredible shame. He has to leave yet another city where he was established to go to an unknown place. When he finally arrives in the Promised Land, there is a famine. This drives him to Egypt where he fears his life will be in danger. He lies about his relationship with Sarai which puts God’s promise at risk. He returns from Egypt only to experience so much conflict with his nephew, they have to separate. LIfe is certainly not easy for Abram!
And yet the call of God remains. After everything is said and done and Abram’s finally found a good spot to settle down, God speaks to him again...
- Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward, for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever. (Fill the earth)
- I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also can be counted. (Be fruitful. Multiply)
- Arise, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I will give it to you. (Have dominion)
God’s promise will be fulfilled. Not because Abram is faithful. Not because Abram is righteous. Not because Abram found favor with God. But because God is all these things and more! God will bring about His will on the earth! God will deliver on His promises! God will fulfill His purposes! And it doesn’t really matter what humanity does or doesn’t do. God will bring His plan to pass!
Does this give you hope today? To know He is at work in your life right now making you fruitful? Multiplying you in ways you cannot begin to imagine? Sending you out to fill the earth with His image and glory? Giving you dominion over all He has made? Does it take the pressure off a bit? Knowig that God will accomplish this in your life? I hope so! And like Abram, it doesn’t matter what obstacles stand in your way! God is faithful! In Christ, His promises are sure! In Christ, His promises will come to pass! In Christ, He will fulfill His plan and purpose for our lives!