Tenacity of our faith
God promised Abraham that He would make him a father of nations. In furtherance of this promise, Abraham had Isaac (after waiting about 25 years). He got Isaac a wife, to ensure continuity of the lineage. Isaac was 40 years old when he got a wife, Rebekah. She had 2 sons.
Even with these offspring, Abraham died, being able to count his ‘nations’. At that time, although he was rich, very rich and well established, he wasn’t a great nation. His nation was not innumerable, like the sand at the sea shore. Every family on earth was not yet blessed by him. He also was not exceedingly fruitful. He had one son of promise. That son had only 2 sons.
Fast forward to today.
Today, we, the children of Abraham are uncountable, innumerable, like the sand at the sea shore. All over the world, we exist. In the nooks and crannies of the world, we exist. And every moment there are being added to the church, such as are to be saved!
So even if you were to count today, can you get them all? Between the time you start counting and the time you finish, there are being added, such as are to be saved, by the minute and by the second!!! To God be the glory!!!
So Abraham did not live to see the fulfillment of God’s promise. But the word did not die. That word of promise has been fulfilled before our very eyes! And is still being fulfilled.
We have the word of God. It is indestructible. The word will come to pass in our lifetime and beyond. Every word God has given us will come to pass. We may see only the beginning of it. But it doesn’t matter. The word will come to pass.
That is why we need to be tenacious today. Our faith must be strong, unchanging, refusing to be moved by what we see or feel or hear. I need to hold on to the word of God, regardless and in spite of.
It may not look like anything is happening now. The word may look like I made it up or I made a mistake. I’m not listening to any lie of the devil, asking ‘Did God really say?’. I am holding onto the word. It is indestructible, incorruptible, ageless!
Even if it takes a hundred years, it will come to pass!
Genesis 12:2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing.
Genesis 15:5 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.”
Genesis 17:4-8 “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you. Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.”
Hebrews 11:8-12 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. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.
Hebrews 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
Isaiah 55:10-11 “For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
Galatians 3:7 Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham.
Galatians 3:29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Indeed, we are the children of Abraham, and as such, we are heirs with him of the promise. What a joy!!!