Day 3

Abraham



Genesis 11:27-31, Genesis 12:1-7, Genesis 15:1-21, Genesis 17:1-14, 23-37, Galatians 3:8

BY Guest Writer

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.

Post Comments (71)

71 thoughts on "Abraham"

  1. Brandi Christy says:

    I feel that I can relate to Abraham’s story, I have a hard time not letting God have control of my life. I can’t figure out how to let go and let him take over.

    1. GraceAnn Witt says:

      I have a hard time of letting go of control too. It’s like she wrote about Abraham, I often believe the promises of God but don’t always trust the process. I’m learning each and everyday how to let go of that control and place faith in Him like never before. It’s a continual journey of faith and dependence on the Lord.

  2. Brittany Schrader says:

    I find myself frequently trusting God’s promises, but struggling with trusting his process. We so eagerly want instant gratification for the desires of our heart, so trusting that God’s plan is better does not come naturally. I pray for more peace and trust in the waiting. “For we can make our plans but the Lord determines our steps.”

  3. Danica Moise says:

    It must of seemed crazy that a childless father would get the title “father of many nations.” Especially when he was 75 years old when he left his home and 99 years when Issac was born. But God works in mysterious ways— this really showed me the importance of faith. God wants to bless us—sometimes in ways we don’t expect— but we have to be patient & trust.

  4. Ashley Thomas says:

    Fear is a liar! Fear and taking control myself are things I have really been working on the past couple of years. I don’t have the answers, and I can’t change God’s plan for me. I have to trust Him and know that He would never give me snakes or stones when I am praying for fish of flowers, I.e, I might not think I’m praying for something bad, but he knows I am and won’t give it to me.

  5. Angie says:

    I have this saying on my wall…”When you can’t see God’s hand, trust his heart.”
    We can trust him.

    Thankful for your sharing ladies. Kathy, your words especially speak to my heart today.

    You are in my prayers Tricia, Pamela, and Pamela’s husband. I’m sorry for the cancer struggles and am praying specifically that God draws each of your under his wings of protection and peace.

    1. Amy Flett says:

      “Trust His heart…” What a beautiful reminder! I can face an uncertain future with confidence because I know who He is, what His heart for me is.

  6. Jennifer Anapol says:

    I have definitely seen God’s faithfulness in my own life. Just when I felt like I had totally given up on finding the love of my life, God brought my husband into my life. Our faith doesn’t have to be perfect for God to answer our prayers!

    1. Karen Anne Servidad says:

      I feel like I am in that season of totally giving up not having a husband. Many times I caught myself asking God to remove the desire of having one.

  7. Erin Calvin says:

    I was rereading more of Genesis 17, and in verse 18, Abraham says to God, “If only Ishmael were acceptable to you.” Made me think about how many times I struggle to trust God to be faithful to his promises, try to make things work on my own terms, and then get angry at God for not being cool with the backwards way I did things.
    If I truly continue to seek after him, he’s not gonna just let me have my way. He loves me too much for that, and his ways ARE better. I just have to trust that, and wait.

  8. Darlene Lugo says:

    This is probably one of my many struggles with my faith. I am often afraid of the what is that I try and take control but I am reminded through grace that by giving God control there is no fear. He has always proven this to me time and time again.

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