A Promise – September 26, 2021

But Abram said, “Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.” Then the word of the LORD came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”
Genesis 15:2-5

A Promise

God told Abram that he had nothing to worry about in the foreign land in which he lived. God promised to be his shield from harm. God also reminded Abram that he would receive every good thing because the LORD was his “very great reward.”

There was one thing, though, that troubled Abram. He had no descendant and this is what he wanted very much. That’s because a son was the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abram that the Savior of the world would come from his family. But as Abram and his wife Sarai grew past child-bearing years, it seemed that the link between Abram and the Savior was lost. No Savior?! This is what Abram was afraid of.

So Abram decided to follow the custom of that time and adopt his servant, Eliezer. Through him, Abram thought, he could have descendants, and then the promise of God for a coming Savior would be fulfilled.

God helped his troubled believer overcome his fearful doubts. He told Abram, “This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir.” Then God brought Abram outside on that clear night and showed him the starry hosts of the heavens. The multitude of stars—”So shall your offspring be,” God declared to Abram. As easily as God created all the stars, so he could give a son to an old man and his wife. The promise of the Savior would be fulfilled exactly as God determined.

Nothing was too hard for God to accomplish our salvation!

Prayer:
Thank you, Lord, for fulfilling your promise of sending Jesus to be the world’s Savior. Fill my heart with the joyful assurance that in Jesus I have the blessing of eternal life. Amen.