Genesis 15:1-6 (NLT)
Some time later, the Lord spoke to Abram in a vision and said to him, “Do not be afraid, Abram, for I will protect you, and your reward will be great.”
2 But Abram replied, “O Sovereign Lord, what good are all your blessings when I don’t even have a son? Since you’ve given me no children, Eliezer of Damascus, a servant in my household, will inherit all my wealth. 3 You have given me no descendants of my own, so one of my servants will be my heir.”
4 Then the Lord said to him, “No, your servant will not be your heir, for you will have a son of your own who will be your heir.” 5 Then the Lord took Abram outside and said to him, “Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That’s how many descendants you will have!”
6 And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith.
It’s always comforting to hear God making promises to us and telling us that it’s going to be ok…unless we are disappointed in God’s performance. Then it’s abrasive to hear Him speak comfort to us. When our hope is deferred, His comfort and promises are confrontations of our doubts and pain.
Do you hear the doubt and pain that packs Abram’s question, “O Sovereign Lord, what good are all your blessings when I don’t even have a son?” Here we see that Abram is fully aware of God’s ability to fulfill His promises; he called God Sovereign Lord. But he is frustrated and confused by God’s decision to delay.
The realization that God can but hasn’t can be maddening if we chose to place our focus on our situation instead of the Lord. It caused Peter to sink and continues to pull Christians down into the depths to this day.
Notice God’s response to Abram’s pain—patient leadership. God patiently addressed Abram’s fears by casting His vision for Abram’s life again. The Lord pointedly turned Abram’s focus from his situation on earth to God’s decision in heaven. It is in the midst of this painful perspective transition where Abram had an opportunity to gain something that so many seek and so few find—righteousness.
When God comes to you in the midst of your pain, you will also have an opportunity. As He encourages you to lift your head and see His promise, will you believe? It’s the only way to be right with God. It’s the only way to be pulled from the depths into the Savior’s arms.
What are you waiting on the Lord for today? How is He asking you to believe in Him?
I wait. I know God is able to do what I wait for, because it is His will for my life, that I wait on.
It’s difficult for me to be patient with the waiting, but I have grown the most when I confront my impatience. He really is Sovereign, isn’t He?