When the New Testament talks about the great patriarch Abraham, it’s his tremendous faith that is the highlight of his story. He was indeed exceptional, but Abraham wasn’t perfect. Throughout the course of his story, we see that while Abraham clearly believed God’s promise, he didn’t always trust God’s process.
(A part of Abraham’s story is God changing his name, from Abram to Abraham. More on that in a moment. But let’s begin earlier in his journey, before God changed his name.)
When God promised Abram that he would be the father of a son who would be the beginning of a mighty nation, Abram believed God and it was “credited to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:6). But his faith didn’t keep him taking from matters into his own hands. He had a son, but not by his wife Sarai. She had been unable to conceive, so, at Sarai’s prompting, Abram slept with Sarai’s servant Hagar. Ishmael was born, but he was not the son of promise.
Abram and his wife took the promise God had made to them and tried to bring it about on their own terms. In a sense, it was the fall all over again (Genesis 3). It wasn’t Abram’s finest moment, but it’s not the end of his story. After his failure, God didn’t abandon His promise to Abram. God had another, better plan. God’s plan was an invitation to stretch Abram’s faith.
God called Abram to a life cut off from his old practices and patterns. This would be symbolized in two ways. First, God changed his name from Abram to Abraham. Second, God instructed Abraham to be circumcised. Circumcision showed Abraham’s trust was in the Lord, not in his own flesh, to put it delicately.
This call to obedience was followed by an unbelievable promise. God would demonstrate His faithfulness to Abraham by giving he and his wife Sarah a son; they would name him Isaac.
The Bible tells us he went that very day to circumcise himself and the men of his household.
Can I ask you to think about the faith it took for Abraham to honor God in circumcision when God’s promise of Isaac depended on that very part of his anatomy? Not to be crass, but the circumstances of his circumcision couldn’t have been exactly clinical, and the recovery was likely difficult. And yet, in less than a year, Abraham would be holding the reality of God’s promise in his arms.
Abraham had to completely trust God for the blessing of his son Isaac. His story reminds us that God’s greatest promises often invite the greatest faith. God hadn’t just given Abraham a son, God had strengthened Abraham’s faith.
Our faith must win out over our fear. Fear will cause us to fret, scheme, and take control. Fear will convince us that we can and should take matters into our own hands. Abraham’s story proves that God’s plans won’t always be accomplished in the ways we might imagine. Our faith isn’t built merely on the promises of God, but on the character of the God who makes those promises. We live in confidence that He will fulfill them in His time and in His ways.
Whitney Capps is a national speaker for Proverbs 31 Ministries. Her first book, Sick of Me (B&H Publishers) and bible study, We Over Me (LifeWay) both release in March 2019. Whitney is the founder of Simple Seminary, a place for the everyday gal to learn theology. She and her husband, Chad, are raising their four boys just outside Atlanta, Ga. You can connect with her at whitneycapps.com or on Instagram, @whitneycapps.
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71 thoughts on "Abraham"
I have found myself in a season of struggling to know what God wants me to be doing. I have agonized and shed tears, prayed for direction, prayed to be used by Him. I realized this morning that because things weren’t looking the way I envisioned them to look I thought God wasn’t listening, didn’t want to use me. While God didn’t speak to me in an audible voice this is what He taught me this morning.
Keep doing what you’re already doing.
Persevere and trust Me.
LISTEN.
BE STILL.
STOP STRIVING!
Find joy in what you’re already doing.
Delight in Me just because I am God.
Sisters, He is a good, good Father. Have a blessed day!
Kathy, I have really been trying to live this out, so thank you so much for sharing. I’m in a season of big transition with a lot of people moving out of my life to new missionary roles & I am STRUGGLING to see why God wants me to stay. So thank you for the encouragement today. Lord, grant me the grace to be still.
Thank you for sharing! New seasons can be exciting, but also hard-because like you said they don’t always look like how we envisioned they would. I needed this reminder today as I’m in a new season of staying home with our newborn daughter after many years of working outside of the home.
This is a blessing in disguise!
Find joy in what you’re already doing. Love this! And I needed to hear it! Thanks Kathy.
Love this❤️
Wow Kathy .. thank you for testimony I to have been praying the same/ may God continue to bless and keep you
I’m in the very same situation, while reading your words, it’s so heartbreaking but also comforting.
This is the very situation where I am in. Your words touched my heart, thank you!
I’m guilty of often demanding that God deliver on his promises, but me not being willing to trust his process and trying to take matters into my own hands! In dealing with a very difficult time in my marriage, i want god to restore us as he has promised us, but i know it will only happen his way and in his time, this really spoke to me today!
I get the companion study book for each of our studies because I love to write things down and underline as I read. Today I have noted that Abram heard God’s call and heeded His command, even though he asked for clarification and reassurance, “Abram believed the Lord, and he credited him as righteous.” I can’t help but wonder how many times God has called me and I was too busy to listen or hear, or I got caught up in my own understanding of what I was supposed to do and I got in His way. And of of course there are the numerous times I know I have rushed ahead or fell behind of God’s timing…
Lord, help me to be confident in Your plans and Your timing for the promises You have for my life. Forgive me for the times that I do not listen and obey. I will not be afraid because You are my shield. AMEN
Praying for you this morning, Tricia!
Experiencing this right now as we are trusting God in our next step in obedience
Hoe difficult it is to trust both God’s promises and His process. May we use the story of Abraham as a reminder of God’s faithfulness and love. Help me to believe and trust the process, Lord! Amen ♡
*How
God often uses the very opposite of what seems logical to demonstrate His power, trustworthiness, and goodness. In my own life, a hunting accident, opened the door for me to be able to attend college. I am always amazed when I look back and see God’s hand masterfully orchestrating the circumstances of my life to put me where He needs me to be. How great is our God! As I consider my current circumstances, I wonder what God is using right now to prepare my future steps.
Shawn, I agree with you. It is amazing how the Lord uses circumstances that we would not see as favorable to open other doors for us. This has happened in my life also in dealing with cancer and surgeries, etc.
All glory and praise to Him!
In dealing with this cancer, I have often times found myself trying to take control, out of fear. If I do this or this, it will make all things better. It is when I realize I am getting no where and surrender to God, He walks along side me and directs my path. I feel so much better then. I tend to be a control freak, as they say, but giving it to the Lord really is easier.
Lord, I pray that I would continue to give my life, my situations to You. After all, you know what my future holds much better than I.
Blessed day Sisters!
Praying Tricia.
Tricia, my husband has Stage 4 Esophageal cancer and I am right where you are. Fear is the enemy’s greatest tool of defeat. This is a great devotional to combat fear-I agree! There are 365 scriptures that say “ do not fear.” I heard yesterday “Fear tolerated is faith contaminated.” I have you on my prayer list. Keep us posted on how you are doing.
Praying for you and your husband. Love ya❤️
Prayers Tricia.
I am encouraged by your words Tricia and praying for you
Thank you so much for sharing! I pray for your peace and healing!
Tricia, I’m praying for healing, strength and wisdom for you in this battle.
Today I see a picture of a wall which has tile adhesive on it and I see a notched trowel running down the wall scraping the adhesive down the wall. Trusting God for you Tricia that cancer will eradicated from your body. In Jesus name I believe that God will heal you.
Lifting you in prayer to our faithful God today.
Tricia, I am a young (diagnosed under 30, with no family history) breast cancer survivor who often found myself in that same frame of mind. God’s promise of the gospel and his faithful character is a daily encouragement.
Praying for you, Tricia. God is with you.
Thank you for your honesty and encouragement even as you struggle. I am struggling similarly as my husband is recently recovering alcoholic. As a young mom of 2 little ones i struggle not to just fix him or put it all on me. God is doing great things in his healing, may I learn to be steadfast in trusting God to do the fixing.