Just between Genesis 17.1-16, the word "nations" is mentioned four times. God promised Abram (now changed to Abraham) that he "would be the father of many nations." God promised Sarai (now Sarah) that she would be the "mother of nations."
This amazing promise of people productivity from the bodies of two withered AARP members was given before they'd had a single child together. It must have convicted/shocked Abe to learn that God intended Sarah to have a roll in this. He had 13 years earlier gone with Plan B: Hagar.
I wonder how often we would be surprised by God to discover the route we're currently on will radically make a U-Turn tomorrow. All the plans and ideas we have had will be meaningless. You've been going one direction, assuming you knew what God meant, and suddenly, you learn differently.
I hope my response would be like honest Abe's - "Abraham fell facedown." v17 Then in v23, scripture records, "On that very day..."
An immediate obedient response. A willing U-Turn. Even when it involved great pain (circumcision). Adjusting our lives to God's plan will always cost us at first but bless us in the end.
Just between Genesis 17.1-16, the word "nations" is mentioned four times. God promised Abram (now changed to Abraham) that he "would be the father of many nations." God promised Sarai (now Sarah) that she would be the "mother of nations."
This amazing promise of people productivity from the bodies of two withered AARP members was given before they'd had a single child together. It must have convicted/shocked Abe to learn that God intended Sarah to have a roll in this. He had 13 years earlier gone with Plan B: Hagar.
I wonder how often we would be surprised by God to discover the route we're currently on will radically make a U-Turn tomorrow. All the plans and ideas we have had will be meaningless. You've been going one direction, assuming you knew what God meant, and suddenly, you learn differently.
I hope my response would be like honest Abe's - "Abraham fell facedown." v17 Then in v23, scripture records, "On that very day..."
An immediate obedient response. A willing U-Turn. Even when it involved great pain (circumcision). Adjusting our lives to God's plan will always cost us at first but bless us in the end.
Posted by: Jeff | March 15, 2006 at 10:39 AM