Amazing Faith

I am not so sure I would have believed God so quickly. After all, what had God done for Abram and Sarai lately? On God’s command and with God’s promise in their ears, they leave their homeland, their families and all that they know for an unnamed destination, only to find a famine. Off they go to Egypt where there is food-and where the Pharaoh tries to steal Sarai from Abram. God intervenes, and Abram and Sarai head back to Canaan. Soon after, Abram and his nephew Lot squabble over land, the result of which is that Lot chooses the best land for himself. Then Lot is taken captive in a local war and Abram risks his life to rescue him. Upon his return, Abram encounters Melchizedek, who blesses him and to whom Abram gives one-tenth of all he had.

How many years had all this taken? More than a few. And still the promises of God were basically unfulfilled: no descendents, no land and no great name. Now God promises children as many as the stars. Yeah, right.

But Abram believed. Trusted. Followed. (Faith is the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1). Something in the way God dealt with Abram convinced him that God was trustworthy. So he put his life in God’s hands. Amazing.

Gracious God, give me some of the amazing faith of Abram. Amen. — DAB