“YOUR REWARD SHALL BE VERY GREAT!”

 Genesis 15:1-6                                 (ESV)

God’s Covenant with Abram

[1] After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; “YOUR REWARD SHALL BE VERY GREAT”.” [2] But Abram said, “O Lord GOD, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” [3] And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.” [4] And behold, the word of the LORD came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.” [5] And HE brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then HE said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” [6] And he believed the LORD, and HE counted it to him as righteousness.

There are many things that “irritate” me, but I have grown to understand that my opinion isn’t as crucial as I once believed!  How many times have I blown my top about something when I was hoping for results that alluded me?  James Montgomery Boice, noted Presbyterian Minister, is quoted as saying “Whether you can see it or not - and often we cannot - everything is being used of God for your good as well as the good of others. THIS KNOWLEDGE IS BY FAITH. It is not always by sight. But it is nevertheless certain, because it is based on the character of God, who reveals himself to us as both sovereign and benevolent. We are not to be anxious about the unknown future or to fret about it. We are to live in a moment-by-moment dependence upon God."

Growing in FAITH is a never ending process.  Abraham was from “Ur of the Chaldeans”, about 550 miles west of Jerusalem.  In Genesis 12:1 Scripture records “Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.”  Abraham (then called Abram) exhibited tremendous FAITH, going far from his comfort zone in OBEDIENCE to THE LORD.  I can imagine that the journey must have been filled with setbacks that caused Abraham’s FAITH to grow.  Knowing that GOD ALMIGHTY IS IN CONTROL does NOT indicate that we know what is going to happen in our lives, it means that we only KNOW WHO is in charge of our destiny! 

Growing in FAITH quite often is a grueling, tedious process.  For this servant of THE MOST HIGH, WAITING for GOD to manifest HIS PROMISE is the toughest!  Ishmael was the result of Abram and Sarai trying to help GOD be GOD!  Only when GOD’s timing was fulfilled, Isaac  was sent to Sarah to fulfill THE PROMISE OF GOD!  We can never do ANYTHING to improve on THE PLAN!  When GOD tells us that “YOUR REWARD SHALL BE VERY GREAT”, we must BELIEVE that HE is capable of fulfilling HIS PROMISE!