By Pastor William Y. K. Brown Ph.D
(Resident Pastor)
Seventh-day Adventist Church
Osu-Bethel.
Tel: 0244165628/0243310773.
wykbrown@gmail.com
TUESDAY
THEME: GOD WATCHED AS ABRAHAM EXPRESSED FAITH
SCRIPTURE: Genesis 15:1,5-6
“[1]After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.” [5]Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” [6]And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.”
REFLECTIONS
Abraham received a special call from God (Genesis 12). His original name was Abram – “exalted father”, but when he was 99 years old, God changed his name to Abraham – “father of many nations” (Genesis 17:5). For God to establish him, he had to leave his comfort zone – he had the painful experience of saying goodbye to his relatives – some of them, he was never to meet again on earth. He left his home country, trusting God to do his plan for him and the world. Hebrews 11:8 confirms – “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.”
God brought Abraham into a covenant relationship with Him in consonance with the rolling out of the plan of salvation. In this relationship, what mattered most was Abraham’s faith in God, which manifested itself in obedience to Him. Abraham’s walk with God reached a pedestal where he became God’s friend. Isaiah 41:8 says, “But you, Israel, are My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, The descendants of Abraham My friend.” The friendship between God and Abraham was unique and exceptional. Abraham trusted God by every stretch of the imagination. For him, God was the ultimate, trustworthy, omnipotent, omnipresent, and all-knowing. For Abraham, “thus says the Lord” was his abiding principle in life. He was determined to do the will of God even if it appeared weird, questionable, seemingly contrary to common practice, and strange in the ears of human beings around him.
So when God tested His faith regarding sacrificing his son Isaac, Abraham obeyed Him. Note what Genesis 22:1-2 records, “[1]Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” [2]Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” The account says Abraham listened and was directed to Mount Moriah, where he was to sacrifice Isaac. In his attempt to slay his son, Genesis 22:11-12 reports: [11]But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” So he said, “Here I am.” [12]And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” This episode and other incidents in his life made God commend and affirm him, saying in Genesis 26:5 – “. . . Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.”
Abraham was a friend of God. Genesis 15:6 attests to the relationship, saying, “And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.” God testified in Genesis 18:19, “For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him.” Indeed, from Abraham, we learn the lessons of absolute faith in God, total obedience to His will, patience to wait on Him, and fulfilment of every promise of God in His own time. His close walk with God did not prevent him from experiencing trials, pain, disappointments, and heartbreaking news. No doubt Abraham was focused, a faithful friend, and a true phlegmatic who never wanted to mar relationships – to him, it was better to make sacrifices to keep worthy relationships. His life was not flawless, though he was so close to God. But the beauty of it is that grace abounded, and he was forgiven while he determined not to go back to that sin. Beloved, Abraham’s life points out that faith brings trials. Faith that is tried is worthy and solid.
MY SONG OF COMMITMENT
SDAH 304 – “Faith of Our Fathers”
LET US PRAY
– Praise and thank God for His loving care; thank God for His providence in your life; pray to trust God and obey Him under all circumstances;
– Pray for backslidden believers, Christians whose faith is being tried, and people in the valley of indecision;
– Pray for people everywhere who are marginalised, oppressed and suppressed; pray for deliverance for hostages, people caught in crossfires, and those tormented by the devil;
– Pray for the peace and unity of the country; pray for leaders, citizens, workers, retirees, and security operatives; pray for the relief of sorrow for those mourning and healing for the sick.
