THE PROMISE
First of seven in God’s Best devotion series
Genesis 13:14-17
Verse 16: [The Lord said to Abram] “I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted.”
This God’s Best devotional series is designed to show you why the Middle East is a hotbed of conflict today. Why can’t Israel live in peace? Arab nations surround one Jewish state, Israel (Canaan). God promised Abram in Genesis 12:7: “To your offspring I will give this land.” God’s best is only received when we wait on His timing.
Brad stopped short when racing through the kitchen on his way outside. His brow wrinkled as he asked, “What’s wrong, Mom?”
Brad’s Mom sniffed, and wiped her eyes while sitting at the table. She forced a smile. “Nothing’s wrong, don’t worry.”
“But you NEVER cry! Tell me what’s wrong” Brad pleaded.
“Well, Dad and I want to give you a brother or sister. But…”
“But what, Ma?”
“We’ll just have to trust God.” She patted Brad’s hand. “Go outside and play.”
Offspring are children. God promised Abram as many offspring as the dust of the earth. WOW! All in one house? Where does it begin? One child grows up, gets married, and has kids. Two children grow up, get married, and have kids. Offspring multiply. The more kids a couple have, the more offspring. It begins with one child.
Just like Brad’s Mom, Sarai, Abram’s wife, wanted to have a child. Unlike today, where women often get jobs outside the home, women’s job back in Abram’s time was to have children. The more children a woman had, the greater her worth. Sarai must have felt like a failure, and a disappointment to her husband, Abram. That doesn’t seem fair, does it?
It takes a man and a woman to make a baby. Some men and women can have physical problems that interfere with having children. When a woman got pregnant after waiting a long time in the Bible, it says that God “opened her womb” (Genesis 29:31, 30:22). This issue can be very frustrating for some women.
So, Sarai must have been delighted when Abram told her God’s promise. No longer would she be mocked by others. She must have clung to that promise, sure that she would get pregnant soon. But that didn’t happen. Not after one month. Not after one year. It took more than ten years for Sarai to hold her baby boy in her arms.
Was the delay because Sarai’s and Abram’s faith was weak? Can God forget His promises?
Take Home Nugget
Weak faith is different from having no faith. God often grows His kids’ faith through tests and trials. When we feel weak, we can ask Him for more faith (Luke 17:5). God always provides what we need, especially when we ask (James 4:2).
It often helps how we feel
When afraid and totally alone,
To cling to the Almighty with zeal—
What the greatest saints have always known.
J.D. Griffith
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