Tag: Abraham

Laughing at the Promises of God

God focused on one man to bring to pass His promises.

“Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him” (Genesis 12:1-4).

Five times in three verses we find the words bless, blessed, or blessing. We are blessed to be a blessing.

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There are 7,487 promises in the Bible from God to man, and many of them are directed to us. Sadly, through ignorance, we live far below what God has in mind for us. We are the children of the promise (Romans 9:8; Galatians 4:28) and the heirs of promise (Hebrews 6:12, 17). It is our inheritance. God has many good things in mind for us. Some promises are conditional: they depend on our obedience for fulfillment. Others are unconditional.

Unfortunately, we often fail to take God at His word and do not believe Him to be powerful or sufficient enough to handle our problems. For the problems we encounter in life there are corresponding promises to overcome them.

“We sometimes denigrate Sarah for laughing at God. However, as incredible as it sounds, laughing at God is not that unusual. We in effect do the same thing every time we read God’s words and fail to put them into practice or hear his promises and decide not to believe them” (The Knowing Jesus Study Bible).

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The Father of Faith

God called Abram out of a pagan world and made him some amazing promises. Abram responded in faith. “Faith obeys God” (The Bible Knowledge Commentary, page 46). He left everything to follow God’s plan.

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report….But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:1-2, 6).

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Abraham is the embodiment of faith. In life’s circumstances he believed God. No wonder he is commonly referred to as the father of faith. He took God at His word and did what was asked of him.

I am awed with that phrase “Father of Faith.” Being old, having a wife that was very old, he became a father. Although, his son was named Isaac (laughter; God has made me laugh), for all intent and purposes, he could be simply called “Faith.” Isaac was the direct result of faith. Looking at Isaac, one could quickly see faith in action. No one could dispute it.

“And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform” (Romans 4:19-21, Emphasis mine).

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The Next Right Step

I’m not sure why finding the will of God is so difficult. But, it is. It’s as complex at eighteen as it is at fifty-one or seventy-three years of age. You would think that it would be only a colossal task for teenagers making their journey in life. I guess that unveils the secret right there. It is summed up in the word “journey.” Too often we focus on the will of God as the destination, the completed journey, the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Our focus is faulty. The journey is never over as long as we have breath to breathe and a heart to do something for God and His people. We mistakenly focus on the road in the distance and bypass watching the single steps.

The journey—the Christian walk—has always been about traveling from one place to another. Like any journey it takes time; a long time. The road is etched with ups and downs. Occasional tough times meet our moving onward and upward. There are mountains and valleys. Sometimes we falter. Sometimes we fall. But, we get up and keep on going.

Like Kathryn Scott beautifully penned, “We still believe and though the journey has been hard we will confess your goodness…” I love it when she sings from “soaring wings to the shattered dream.” I’d quote the whole song here but it’s really not the Lord’s will to break copyright laws.

So, what is the will of God? It’s not so much about the destination as it is about the journey. Amazingly, “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going” (Hebrews 11:8, ESV). Was it some sort of blind faith or ruthless, risky abandonment? Probably not! He just took the next right step. The will of God is all about taking the next right step. We don’t have to know twenty steps or ten miles down the road. Just get a grip on the next step. God told Abram, “Go.” And he went. He journeyed one step at a time.

Like the heroes of Hebrews 11, we are all pilgrims on this planet. They believed. They had faith. They trusted in God’s promises. They obeyed His Word; the road map in life. So it is with us. We are not moving aimlessly or living without direction; walking around in circles. Our steps are ordered. They are established. Remember, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, And He delights in his way” (Psalms 37:23, NKJV). We are walking in step with God. He blazes the trail. It sounds so easy. It is. However, we make it difficult. How? By trying to see the whole trip instead of today’s instructions.

Abraham’s servant testified, “As for me, the Lord has led me on the journey” (Genesis 24:27, NIV). How did that happen? The answer is simple. He heard from the master. He embarked on a journey. He believed he would accomplish his purpose. He found the will of God one step at a time.

Seeking God’s will for your life? Just concentrate on taking the next right step.

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