Daily Archive

 I’m taking an Old Testament class right now.  I’m 3 weeks into it, but it’s incredible.  I have barely scratched the surface of this part of scripture, but I find so much encouragement and faith from the Old Testament – I was pretty excited to take this class.  Obviously starting at the beginning of the Bible, this class has allowed me to again contemplate the life of Abraham. 

 Several times in my life I have looked to Abraham for the great steps of faith he’d taken.  God calls him out among the people and makes a covenant with him, stating that through him, all nations will be blessed.  Later on, when called to make a sacrifice, Abraham takes his son Isaac up to be sacrificed to God.  His incredible faith and devotion has encouraged me throughout my own walk with Christ. 

 Perhaps because of my own recent confusion and attempts to figure out God, I read through his story in Genesis and began to see a completely different side of this Great Man of Faith. 

 I don’t want to discredit the faith that Abraham does show.  Afterall, the writer of Hebrews highlights this faith as he exhorts those reading:

“Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1)

Abraham was a man of great faith…but inevitably he was also a man…whose faith, at times, seemingly faltered. 

Confusion and impatience must have brewed in the heart of Abraham for several years.  God promised to Abraham descendents, yet even by the age of 75, he was without child.  Again the Lord promises to give Abram’s descendents the land through which he passes.  Still no child.  Again, God tells Abraham, “KNOW FOR CERTAIN” (Gen 15:13) with regards to the fate of his descendents. 

Wait?  God, do you not see…Abram has NO children! 

Eventually, Abram and His wife discuss the matter, realizing that the Lord had prevented her from bearing children thus far, Abraham sleeps with Sarai’s maid, Hagar.  Hagar bears Abram’s first son, Ishmael. 

Regardless of the importance that is given to a “first son” in the ancient days, this was not the child God was planning to use.  Over 20 years after he first made His promise to Abraham, God finally gives them a child, through Sarah.  His name is Isaac and he became the descendent through which the covenant would continue on.  

Yes, Abraham is a man of faith, but Abraham also had his moments of little faith in the Lord.  Thinking about these lapses has led me to marinate on the idea of control.  God promises his followers a life of blessing and purpose (Jer. 29:11).  We may pursue God out of faith, we may fight for God’s will in our lives, but there is something that happens when God’s hand is seemingly still.  When waiting ensues, or when God’s timeline seems much slower than ours we begin to take things into our own control.  We walk in faith, but fear causes us to, in the middle of that faith journey, do or not do things that we could be trusting God for.  In the same way, we look and we wait and inevitably we find ourselves taking things into our own hands.  Just as with Abram and Hagar, we try to manipulate and control the situation – we try to complete God’s purposes in our own way, on our own time…in all reality that rarely works!

It’s so easy to jump in and try to make things happen…waiting and walking in faith is hardly easy, but we mustn’t forget that God is going to do what he wants to do…we just need to let go and let him do it.

Lord, I confess to you that so often I jump in and try to force your hand to move.  I confess that so often I doubt your promises…especially when you don’t work according to my timeline.  God please help me with this impatience.  I want to wait on you and I don’t want to force things…your ways are right and pure and your timing is perfect…in all that I do, please help me to wait on you.  I thank you for this faith journey that I walk even today.  please continue to help me trust and have faith in your love. Amen