'Speaking Promise'

Promised Land. Abram’s faith was tested when there was famine in the Promised Land and he had to leave it. What happened to the promise of land? Sarai and Abram could not even have their first child let alone a great nation. What happened to the promise of children? Security in the land was threatened by a neighbor, Abimelech who kept encroaching on Abram’s territory. What happened to the promise of protection? Abram had a small household with very little. Nothing God promised was being fulfilled. God came to Abram again and again to assure him that He would fulfill His promise to Abram. However, when Sarai was approaching 80 and Abraham 100, it seemed like they were out of time and that the promise couldn’t possibly be fulfilled.  

God spoke to Abraham several times to reassure him. Eventually Abram prospered, his place in the land became more secure, and he became leader of a growing tribe. Abram was grateful, but still distressed that he lacked the most important thing of all, an heir to receive the promise of God. At that point, God took a new tact. He made a covenant – a formalized promise – to Abram and in the process, changed Abram’s name to Abraham. God also changed Sarai’s name to Sarah. In that moment, Abraham went from being ‘high father’ to be the ‘Father of nations.’ Sarah went from being ‘Princess’ to ‘Mother of nations.’ The sweet thing about this is that now, every day Sarah would remind Abraham of the covenant when she spoke his name. Likewise, Abraham would daily remind Sarah when he spoke her name. In each moment, their encounter with God was sealed in their memories and their trust increased. The next year, God’s promise of an heir was fulfilled.

When your journey is difficult and doubts creep in, you are in good company. Even Abraham, the Father of Faith, had his moments. Our journey is a process of learning to trust God more and more even when things don’t seem to be playing out according to our expectations. Remember that you are part of the growing family of God, part of the covenant in Jesus Christ. Reading the Gospels reminds us of God’s faithfulness that we can trust. Another way we reconnect with the covenant and our trust renewed is when we receive Communion. If you are struggling to trust God at this moment in your life, I would love to get coffee and talk with you about who you are in Christ Jesus. Give me a ring, 504-834-9910.

‘The spirit of Christ is the spirit of missions. The nearer we get to Him, the more intensely missionary we become.’ ~ Henry Martyn.

Seeking to live and integrated life.

Jonathan