Don't Lose Hope

September 08, 2019 by Cee Maria in God Calls You By Name

Genesis 17:17 NLT

Then Abraham bowed down to the ground, but he laughed to himself in disbelief. “How could I become a father at the age of 100?” he thought. “And how can Sarah have a baby when she is ninety years old?” So Abraham said to God, “May Ishmael live under your special blessing!”

Abraham and God have a long history at this point. God has pulled him through many situations. But, it has been a very long time since Abraham was promised a son.

Outwardly bowing, inwardly laughing

In Chapter 17, God introduces Himself as God Almighty. Next, God warns Abraham to serve Him faithfully and live a blameless life. Then God declares Abraham and Sarah’s future and legacy. When Abraham heard God’s plans for him, he bows. Bowing before the Almighty should have been an act of reverence. But, as soon as Abraham’s knees hit the ground, he burrowed his chin into his chest and snickered. Obviously, he was challenged by all this information and couldn’t wrap his mind around it

It’s just that this promise was made so long ago. Time has taken its toll on Abraham’s and Sarah’s bodies and they are both sterile. The emotional high from the joyful expectation of a son had turned into utter disappointment and despondency. Dismissing everything he was told, Abraham simply asks God to bless Ishmael.

God rectifies Abraham’s understanding

Rude, huh? I didn’t read that a thunderbolt struck Abraham as the earth swallowed him up. Lost hope had compromised his faith in the integrity of God’s word. God understood where he was coming from and reaffirmed His promise to Abraham. Once again, God demonstrates His love for this man by rectifying his erroneous understanding and reigniting his hope.

Genesis 17:19 NLT

But God replied, “No—Sarah, your wife, will give birth to a son for you. You will name him Isaac, and I will confirm my covenant with him and his descendants as an everlasting covenant.

What about Ishmael?

Abraham is concerned about Ishmael’s future. Out of His respect for Abraham, God blesses Ishmael.

Genesis 17:20 NLT

As for Ishmael, I will bless him also, just as you have asked. I will make him extremely fruitful and multiply his descendants. He will become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation.

A promise and a timeline

God completes His conversation with Abraham with a promise and a timeline.

Genesis 17:21 NLT

But my covenant will be confirmed with Isaac, who will be born to you and Sarah about this time next year.” When God had finished speaking, he left Abraham.

When God is finished speaking

Let me paraphrase ‘when God had finished speaking’. In other words, when Abraham understood God’s plans and accepted His terms; only then did He leave. What was God doing? He was restoring hope, the fervent expectation of a promise to be fulfilled (1). God loved Abraham and kept working with him until he got on board.

God can only be El Shaddai, Almighty God, when we agree to work together with Him so we could move forward in His plans and purposes for us.

Let’s pray:

Father, I admit that there are promises in Your Word that I have waited so long and lost hope in ever seeing fulfilled. I ask You to rectify my thinking and clarify my understanding concerning Your will for me. Thank You for working with me until I understand Your plans. Thank You for restoring my hope. I agree to work together with You so Your plans and purposes for my life are fulfilled. In Jesus name, Amen.

References:

https://www.dictionary.com/browse/hope?s=t

Her Name Will Be Sarah

August 23, 2019 by Cee Maria in God Calls You By Name

Genesis 17:15-16 NLT

Then God said to Abraham, “Regarding Sarai, your wife—her name will no longer be Sarai. From now on her name will be Sarah. And I will bless her and give you a son from her! Yes, I will bless her richly, and she will become the mother of many nations. Kings of nations will be among her descendants.”

God changed Abram’s name to Abraham, and now He changes Sarai’s name to Sarah.

Who is Sarai?

Sarai is the woman who followed Abram from Ur in Genesis 12. She left her family behind obeying the Word of the Lord. Sarai put her life in danger in order to spare Abram’s life when they crossed into Egypt, also in Genesis 12. God dramatically saved Sarai from the wrath of Pharaoh. A plague invaded the household and pharaoh was prevented from having intercourse with her. By Genesis 16, Sarai gave Abram her very own servant to have intercourse with him so they could raise this child as their own. Looking at her history, it is obvious that Sarai would do anything for Abraham.

Sarai’s Position

God speaks to Abraham about Sarai, his wife. In God’s eyes, Sarai is Abraham’s covenant partner. Sarai is bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh, they are one spirit. Like Adam and Eve, they stand as equals, side by side, in covenant with God.

Not just Abraham’s princess

Just as God changed Abram’s name to Abraham, He changed Sarai’s name to Sarah. Sarai means ‘my lady’ or ‘my princess’ (1). She was the exclusive princess to her biological father who named her, and to Abraham and their caravan. But, now Sarah is promoted to a princess of a multitude (2). She is the daughter of the greatest monarch, God Almighty, El Shaddai.

God wants Sarah to put Him first in her life

Like Abraham, Sarah had her faults. Her desire for a son was to please Abraham and to continue his legacy. But, God wanted her to put Him first so she would raise a son who would worship Him and continue this amazing covenant. As far as God was concerned, this was Sarah’s exclusive destiny and no one else would take her place. When Sarah makes God first and submits to His will, He would reward her with blessings beyond her wildest dreams. Not only will she be the princess of El Shaddai, but she will also become the matriarch of nations!

Let’s Pray:

Father,

You know my faults. But, You have a destiny designed specifically for me and no one can take my place. I submit to Your will and choose to follow Your destiny for my life. Thank You for blessing me beyond my wildest dreams. In Jesus name, Amen.

References:

1) https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H8297&t=KJV

2) https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H8283&t=KJV

God Calls You By Name Part 2- From Abram to Abraham

July 20, 2019 by Cee Maria in God Calls You By Name

Genesis 17: 2-5 NLT

“I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants.” At this, Abram fell face down on the ground. Then God said to him, “This is my covenant with you: I will make you the father of a multitude of nations! What’s more, I am changing your name. It will no longer be Abram. Instead, you will be called Abraham, for you will be the father of many nations.”

God changes Abram’s name

Genesis 17 begins with God telling Abram to walk blameless before Him so He can demonstrate His mighty power. Abram’s relationship with God was to be pure, innocent, uncompromising, and without idols. Forever established is the fact that the heart and mind must not be occupied by anything or anyone that takes God’s place. Only after this step does God change Abram’s name to Abraham.

God changes Abram’s focus

From now on, Abram whose name means ‘exalted father’ (1) is changed to Abraham meaning ‘the father of a multitude of nations’. Abram will hear himself being called ‘the father of a multitude of nations’ all day long! In all of his business transactions, he will sign his documents ‘the father of a multitude of nations’. When Sarai chats with him at the dinner table and asks about his day, she will call him ‘the father of a multitude of nations’. When he introduced himself to others and shook their hand, he would tell them that his name is ‘the father of a multitude of nations’. Whenever God will speak to him from this moment on, He will call him ‘the father of a multitude of nations’.

What is the lesson here?

God was teaching Abraham to hear, speak, and remind himself of the promise of a son and future descendants. Abraham was learning to speak his promise into existence. This is how El Shaddai, God Almighty will do miracles on his behalf. This is how El Shaddai, God Almighty does miracles on our behalf. And this is why Abraham is called the ‘father of our faith’.

Let’s Pray:

Father, I will follow the example you have set with Abraham so You can be El Shaddai in my life. I will be mindful of what I depend on and remove all idols from my heart. My relationship with you is now my first priority. Change my focus from how I see my situation to how You see my situation. I will believe Your promises for me according to the Bible by reminding myself of those promises all day long, and by speaking them out loud. In Jesus name, Amen.

References:

1) https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H87&t=KJV