Believe Before You See
I am always amazed at what God shows me in familiar scriptures. I’ve read the story of Abraham numerous times but if you slow down, and let the Word sink into your spirit God speaks amazing things. For example, I paired up reading Genesis 15-23 with Romans 4 to see what Paul had to say about Abraham and it was so rich.
Romans 4:13-15 Message
That famous promise God gave Abraham—that he and his children would possess the earth—was not given because of something Abraham did or would do. It was based on God’s decision to put everything together for him, which Abraham then entered when he believed. If those who get what God gives them only get it by doing everything they are told to do and filling out all the right forms properly signed, that eliminates personal trust completely and turns the promise into an ironclad contract! That’s not a holy promise; that’s a business deal. A contract drawn up by a hard-nosed lawyer and with plenty of fine print only makes sure that you will never be able to collect. But if there is no contract in the first place, simply a promise—and God’s promise at that—you can’t break it.
That whole chunk of scripture is life changing, but there is one part that stood out to me. “That promise was not given because of something Abraham would do…” Abraham simply became a part of what God was already doing by simply believing. It was his faith in what wasn’t seen that made him justified! God had a whole story to tell. It involved all peoples from all over the world and Abraham had an opportunity to play a part, and by saying yes the “promise” was entered into. Abraham only had to say yes! That is so encouraging because on most days I feel like all I can do is say yes. I don’t have the capacity or emotional drive to do anything “amazing” for God other than just say yes to His plan that is already in action. This takes so much pressure off of us. We don’t have to come up with some plan to make things “work out.” We just say yes to His plan.
Genesis 15:1-12
After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying,
“Do not fear, Abram,
I am a shield to you;
Your reward shall be very great.”
Abram said, “O Lord GOD, what will You give me, since I am childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, “Since You have given no offspring to me, one born in my house is my heir.” Then behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, “This man will not be your heir; but one who will come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir.” And He took him outside and said, “Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness. And He said to him, “I am the LORD who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to possess it.” He said, “O Lord GOD, how may I know that I will possess it?” So He said to him, “Bring Me a three year old heifer, and a three year old female goat, and a three year old ram, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two, and laid each half opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds. The birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, and Abram drove them away. Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, terror and great darkness fell upon him.
When you understand the idea that Abraham was entering into what God was already doing and understand how it happened, you start to see why he is the Father of our Faith. This section of scripture shows that God told Abraham to look up to the sky and “count the stars if you are able to.” Then later the Bible records that the “sun went down…” This means that when God told Abraham to look up to the sky and count the stars like he was counting his descendants it was broad daylight. Nobody sees stars in daylight. Abraham was saying yes to God’s plan before he even saw what it was!
When you study Abraham understand this one thing, he was a man who said yes to what he believed before he saw proof of what it was or how it was to happen. God is still doing the same thing today. He wants you to play a part in His plan for humanity. He wants you at the center of revival, prayer, and a pouring out of love that this world has never seen. It’s something that is hard to grasp now, and maybe for some even impossible to see. However that is just the way God wants it. You have to “believe before you see.”
