Day seven

Genesis 15:1-6

1.) After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.”

2.) But Abram said, “O Lord God, what will You give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?”

3.) And Abram said, “Behold, You have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.”

4.) And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.”

5.) And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then He said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”

6.) And he believed the Lord, and He counted it to him as righteousness.

         This is the beginning of the Abrahamic Covenant in the Bible. God’s promise to make the descendants of Abram, (later, Abraham) a great people. These, of course, became the Jewish people. Abram had thus far done all that God had commanded. He had done so in full faith. But here he is questioning. His wife, Sarai (later, Sarah) had borne no children. Not only did this endanger his linage, it was also a reproach to Jewish women to not have a child, particularly a male child. It was always possible that a male child would be Messiah, and at the very least, he would carry on his father’s name and linage.

         Abram, who moved when God told him to move, who fearlessly went into battle when needed, who carried the name of the Lord into lands that already had their own gods, Abram was frightened that he would have no blood heir.

          This had been an ongoing conversation from before that has been renewed here. Abram has expressed his fears already and continues to do so. So what does God say to His most beloved servant, this man who had followed the path God laid out for him? Verse one; After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” Abram had just fought a battle to free Lot, his nephew. After which, he met the great king Melchizedek, who had blessed Abram. His rescue of Lot should have been a great triumph. At one time Lot had been his heir. But Lot was unstable and too willing to compromise to worldly pleasures. Abram feared not having an heir more than the battle itself.

         The king of Sodom had offered Abram a reward, which Abram turned down. A man of faith and integrity. Now God tells him not to fear. God would reward with the one thing Abram really wanted for he and his wife. As God reassured him, he brought Abram outside and showed the stars to His faithful servant. He told him his people would be as many as the stars he could see. Abram was comforted, and verse six says, And he believed the Lord, and He counted it to him as righteousness.

         If you are a believer, then God is in control of your life. He will lift you up, give you all the strength you need and then He will go along with you.

         Today, let’s pray for the strength of God to pour into us and take hold. Remember in Philippians 4, Paul is speaking of his material need. He points out that God is caring for him. And then, in verse thirteen he says, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” Are you passing through a hard time? Remember and pray.