Abram’s Walk with God! – Part III
….this walk of faith….it’s hard! Harder some days than others – even – the stronger my faith becomes – it seems – the opposition – brings “bigger” weapons to the battle….
Walking …… Read. Gen. 16:1-2
…and Sarai said to Abram, “You see that the Lord has prevented me from bearing children; go in to my slave-girl, it may be that I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. v.2
It seems, the voices – that speak to us, advice – - while they may be born of good intentions - should be carefully examined, even feared – - perhaps as much, as those voices that speak – to us, advice – born of evil intention. Abram’s walk of faith, being so very much like our own – was undermined – by the voice of Sarai’s good intentions! Trouble was – the voice of Sarai, no matter how sincere and genuine - was not the voice of God! Curious enough - Abram’s faith – had been developing, in his daily walk – - -I mean, so recently – Abram, was in conversation with the Father – asking tough questions of the human heart – and receiving Fatherly redirection and guidance and renewed promise. I suppose - it seems a bit “back and forth” – on Abram’s part to now be listening to the voice of Sarai – and taking control of the management of God’s plan and promise. Hello?!?
There are usually – plenty of “voices” to listen to – especially voices that are “willing” to give us advice – of one sort or another.
My prayer is that You will provide for me – Father – ”clarity” - in distinguishing the voices around me that are genuinely trying to help me along the way of faith. Remind me of your voice - Father – when voices speak – and though – my heart may be captivated by their advisory – help me to discriminate – the sound of Your voice - among the good intentions – - and separate – Your will – from bad advice. In childlike faith – Father accept me into your presence – to ask again and again and again – for your Fatherly redirection – guidance and renewed promise – in your grace and mercy. Amen
Walking …… Read. Gen. 16:3-6
Yes, “the plan” – well, it worked – but the results – were rather unpleasant.
Of course – as children – that is pretty much the normal way things go - we get what we wanted – and then - we find out – that we don’t really like - what we wanted – after all! Hello!?!
Father, I realize – that so often, the pattern of my behavior is - that, one minute I am selflessly determined to get your will done in those around me – and the next minute I am upset and troubled, because I don’t like the way I am being treated – nor the consequences, of my selfish choices. I am too often narrow-minded and emotionally small. Forgive me. Teach me a deeper faith – and walk forever with me. Amen
Walking …… Read. Gen. 16:1-16
“The angel of the lord found her…” v.7
Mistakes! Sin! Selfish choices! – - – Our lives are fraught with them! – - – I suppose….one of the most difficult mistakes we make …. to overcome – is the kind of mistake that causes other people – especially those we love – to hurt – or to be affected, by our mistake. Truth is – most all sin – has consequences that affect others – one way or another. Hagar – running away from the consequences of Abram’s sin and Sarai’s jealous anger – was met by the angel of the Lord – near a spring in the desert. – - - How to make things “right” – when things have gone “so wrong”? – - – How - indeed – to stop the momentum of the consequences – flowing from the mistakes and sin – of selfish choices? Abram and Sarai’s – lack of faith in the promise of God - is going to wreak havoc, far down through the centuries – and there is only one way to handle our sin!
Consider – that as bad as things seem – and as consequential as these sins were down through the ages ….. the answer – then - in the form of the “angel of the Lord” – who Hagar named as - ”the God who sees me” - Beer Lahai Roi – and the answer now – in the form of Jesus Christ – Emmanuel – God With Us – Is the same! God is greater than all our sin!
In my journey – in my walk of faith - I am begining to realize – God – my Father - that in running from the consequences of other peoples sin – there is no escape – on my own! And – Father – I realize, too - that there is no escape for other’s – from the consequences of my sin – on their own! Mistakes! Sin! Selfish choices! – Our lives are all – fraught with them! But Father, my God – as your children in this life – we are all bound up, together - in the same covenant relationship with You. The covenant you made and fulfilled in the life of our Father Abraham – and the covenant and promise of Salvation – for all of your children - fulfilled in the life and death and ressurection of your son Jesus Christ! Your mercy leads us. You are the God who sees us – and you, are greater than all our sin! Forgive us and save us – through Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen
Walking …… Read. Gen. 17:1-14
No longer shall your name be Abram – but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you the ancestor of a multitude of nations.
Abram was 86 years old when Hagar bore him his son, Ishmael. 13 years later – at 99 – the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am almighty God; walk before me and be blameless. I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.” - – - Face down on the ground – the promise of Lord, that He had been working, in the life of Abraham and his daily walk of faith – - – the promise that would provide for all God’s children, Eternal Salvation - - - Explodes! – sharpens! -and was revived! Abram’s name was changed from “father exhalted” – to “father of a multitude”, father Abraham. Down through the years of waiting – fearing – battling – stumbling – and walking – God’s promise was not impaired nor diminished!
I too often, allow challenges to my faith, in my daily walk – to diminsh the expectations, within me, of your promises. My impaired expectations – fail to allow for You to unfold them, in your own good time – with all the splendor they are due - in the covenant relationship - between you and your children. Help me, Father – to remain more consistently – in a position of trusting belief and determined faith, in the Glory of your Promises – to listen closely for you to speak – and to trust in what you say. Do not allow me, Father - to reduce your promises - in order to fit them into my diminished expectations – instead – help me to respond daily, in faith - and to be acutely aware of the developing fulfilment of your promises. Amen
Walking …… Read. Gen. 17:15-17
Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said to himself, “Can a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Can Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?” v.17
Face down on the ground, again – Abraham falls – while this time, in a fit of laughter!? Abraham’s laughter, is not born of a merry or jolly spirit! - rising up from the belly. Rather, his laughter was born of complete amazement and of disbelief! Lack of faith! - rising out of the chest region, closer to the heart, where human emotion and rational belief come together, face to face and – colide! And in his disbelief, Abraham cries out in laughter – in the face of a faithful Father – and proceeds, once again - to assume control from God and try to persuade Him - to use what is a “sure thing”, in Ishmael. I understand. I even relate to Abraham being impatient, with the dangers and the unpredictability of faith. Perhaps, it is the hardest part of our daily walk in faith – to give IT ALL to the LORD! It is our nature, to strive to take some responsibility – for the way things turn out! But God will not be distracted from His Will to work His Promises, in our lives. * To steal a line from Queen Victoria, the Lord say’s – something like – “I am not amused”. He will not be – “pleasantly occupied” or distracted - by our disbelief! In our belief – we must be willing to go all the way! We must be willing to stand aside and trust the LORD – to do His Will!
Father, sometimes there are things that are hard for me to believe! And when the emotions of my heart colide with rational belief – - - Father, too many times – I fail to remain – faithful in my trust in You – to do Your Will, not mine. I say that I believe God, but too often I don’t act like it. I am such a child of faith. I desperately need You, to walk hand in hand with me daily, as my Father – teaching me your ways and your will! Help me to learn to become aware, of the “great mysteries” of your promises and your will in my life. Make me a sponge, Father – so that I can ”soak up” the wisdom of your ways and absorb them into my innermost being – such that - I may live them out in my daily walk – spontaneously. By your grace and your mercy and your love – Father, bless me this way. Amen
November 01 2009 09:32 am | Fathering Moments - The Daily Walk and Living in the Word