Many times, when something we consider out of the ordinary happens, we ask the question “How did that happen?” By our own mental reasoning, the mathematics of such a circumstance does not add up. How often do we give up because there doesn’t seem to be that possibility of the breaking of the dawn? Our generation will not be the first in having a myopic view of what could be, in this universe created by the Ancient of days with whom all things are possible. He has the whole world in His hands and at His command, all things are established. The Bible has a chronicle of events and stories of people who witnessed the majesty and magnanimity of a compassionate God. Through these testimonials the average believer has been prepared to expect the impossible.
The scripture tells us of a man who loved God so much that he was referred to as a friend of God. Abraham was always in awe of a Super power that he had an encounter with when all he knew was the idols of his ancestors. This God instructed him to leave his kith and kin, and travel to a promised land where he would prosper a thousand times more. This man of faith was advanced in age when this encounter happened.
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty[a]; walk before me faithfully and be blameless. 2 Then I will make my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.”
3 Abram fell face down, and God said to him, 4 “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. 5 No longer will you be called Abram[b]; your name will be Abraham,[c] for I have made you a father of many nations. 6 I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. 7 I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. 8 The whole land of Canaan, where you now reside as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God.” (Genesis 17: 1-3)
How in the world would a ninety nine years old man decode the mystery of this message? As of this time, his wife was ninety years old. How could this be? The probability of this prophecy coming to pass made Abraham laugh! “What a word” he would have thought in his mind.
15 God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. 16 I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.”
17 Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?” 18 And Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!”
The whole scenario was becoming too embarrassing for Abraham; He wanted a way out! It was like, “God thank you for watching out for me but please just leave me with the child I had out of wedlock. Bless Ishmael and let’s leave it at that.” What this friend of God didn’t know was that the word had come out; It will not go back into the mouth of God, void without perfecting that towards which it was sent. The Word spoke the word!
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome[a] it.“( John 1:1-5)
We all know the happy ending to this story. Today, God is glorified as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel. (Jacob was given another name just like his grandfather.) It is good to know that the thoughts of our God are higher than our thoughts and His ways different from ours. He created us for His pleasure not His sorrow. When we face difficulties and trials and tribulations come, we need to remember our royal pedigree; we are precious in the eyes of our Daddy. Matt. 10:29-31 reads “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”
It is always good to recognize the sovereign right and power of our heavenly Daddy Many times we assume that our situations are hopeless; we believe that we are beyond help, forgetting that we are never in charge. Why should we be discouraged, or even worry about anything; our hope should be in the all redeeming power of our God.
I always take solace in the words of Psalm 112 because it encourages us to stand still even when things look bad and seemingly impossible.
Blessed are those who fear the Lord,
who find great delight in his commands.
2 Their children will be mighty in the land;
the generation of the upright will be blessed.
3 Wealth and riches are in their houses,
and their righteousness endures forever.
4 Even in darkness light dawns for the upright,
for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous.
5 Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely,
who conduct their affairs with justice.
6 Surely the righteous will never be shaken;
they will be remembered forever.
7 They will have no fear of bad news;
their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.
8 Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear;
in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.
9 They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor,
their righteousness endures forever;
their horn[c] will be lifted high in honor.