It was a real test

-

“Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. She had a female Egyptian servant whose name was Hagar” (Gen. 16:1).

The real test of fidelity is not whether we will believe in but whether we will believe God. Anyone can confess that a higher power exists, and in fact, routine surveys indicate the vast majority of people do believe in the existence of a supreme being. 

However, precious few believe the God of the Bible will actually do as He says. Too many people do not stake their entire lives on His Word even though He has never been anything other than true to His promises. Even those of us who do live for Him act as if we do not trust Him on occasion. If anyone should have had unwavering confidence in God, it was Abram. After all, the Lord provided for him in Egypt (12:10–20), enabled him to save Lot (14:13–16), and blessed him through Melchizedek (vv. 17–20). And as if this were not enough, Yahweh visibly swore an oath to keep His promise to Abram (chap. 15). 

Yet despite such wonderful assurances, the reality of Abram’s every-day life would soon pressure him and his wife to look to themselves to fulfill God’s vow. As we return to the book of Genesis, we read again of Sarai’s barrenness (16:1). This condition was one of the first things Moses ever told us about her (11:30) and repeating it only heightens the narrative tension. 

We are meant to ask, “Will God bring about His word despite Sarai’s barrenness?” This further intensifies the suspense as it comes after the Lord’s sworn oath to provide Abram an heir in chapter 15. It also indicates a test of confidence in Yahweh is forthcoming for the patriarch. Just as famine previously threatened the inheritance of Canaan (12:10), infertility now endangers the birth of a son. Abram failed the first test and put Sarai at risk in Egypt. 

Will, he now act on his own and repeat his failure, or will he trust that Sarai will bear his heir? This verse anticipates the answer. We read that Sarai has “a female Egyptian servant” named Hagar (16:1). Abram went to Egypt previously to save himself, and he will turn to Egypt again through Hagar. Since Moses’ first readers were living in conflict with Pharaoh, they could predict this would be a bad combination.

Once again in the story of Abraham, Moses records the historical details in such a way as to emphasize the importance of trusting the Lord even in the face of personal difficulty. Real faith does not only believe God when it is convenient; with perseverance, it trusts in the Almighty even when what we experience conspires to prevent us from doing so. Do you find yourself in an impossible situation this day? Keep on trusting the Holy Spirit to enable you.

Popular posts from this blog

Speaking in tongues for today - Charles Stanley

-
Image
There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. … But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all. … And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. … Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way - 1 Corinthians 12:4, 7, 28, 30—31 The Lord Jesus Christ had come and gone. The church—newly birthed—was in a transition time. The new covenant was seen as a threat to the Jewish leaders; therefore, there was persecution for those who had chosen to follow Christ. The new religion, in its infant stages, had no Bible, few leaders, and absolutely no support from the government. Astounding that it survived, isn’t it?  How in the world did it survive with so little going for it? Power. Not just a force, but mighty, visible power. This new church
Read more

What is the glory (kabod) of God?

-
Image
2 CORINTHIANS 4:17 "This light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison." Scripture places a high value on God 's glory, and it is not hard to figure out why. Since the inherent glory of the Lord is something that He will not share with others (Isa. 42:8), we know that His glory is something that He prizes highly; indeed, He prizes it more highly than anything else. We should, therefore, set the glory of God as the goal and overarching emphasis of our lives. Whatever we lose for the sake of making the Lord's glory known will be worth it when we see the dazzling light and beauty of; the divine glory (28:5; Rev. 21:23). Glory has to do with light and beauty, but those aspects do not sum up what the Bible means when it speaks of the glory of God. Interestingly, the Hebrew word kabod , which is translated into English as "glory," has the root meaning of "weight" or "heaviness."
Read more

The Holy Spirit causes us to cry out: Abba, Father

-
Image
Pentecostés. Óleo sobre lienzo, 275 × 127 cm. Madrid, Museo del Prado. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) To bring out the same truth in another way, Paul says God sent Jesus (as a Man) to live under the Law in order “to redeem those under law, that we [Jews and Gentiles ] might receive the full rights [adoption] of sons” ( Galatians 4:5).  By “full rights” or “adoption” he means entering into the privileges and responsibilities of sonship. He uses it also of the sonship of Israel (Romans 9:4). Galatians 4:1, 2 indicate that the son and heir of a wealthy family in Paul’s day would be treated as a slave until he became of age.  Then he would receive the adoption, that is, all the rights, privileges, and responsibilities that belonged to an adult member of that family. Adoption was also used in the modern sense, so that Gentiles who were not sons of Abraham became true heirs, true sons of God , by faith.  Jesus died, not just to save us from the fires of hell, but to make it p
Read more