Abraham: Faith, Hope & Love
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:13
Faith:
Abraham was living a normal life in Ur with his family. Nothing is recorded of his early life, leading me to believe he lived a seemingly normal life. That is, until vision came knocking.
The First Knock – Obey the Call
The LORD said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.
Genesis 12:1-2
By faith Abraham when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going[…] for he was looking forward to the city with foundations whose architect and builder was God.
Hebrews 11:8-10
The Second Knock – What do You See?
He took him outside and said, “Look up at the heavens and count the stars–if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
Genesis 15:5-6
The Third Knock – The Possible Impossible
God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife; you are no longer to call her Sarai; but Sarah. I will bless her and surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of people will come from her.” Abraham fell face down; 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?”
Genesis 17:15-17
Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead[…] and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.
Romans 4:19-21
The Fourth Knock – The Heart Tested
Then God said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about[…]
“Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”
Genesis 22:2-12
By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.
Hebrews 11:17-19
Hope:
From exalted father (Abram) to father of many, Abraham’s faith was tested. After all, he was human!
[…] “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.”
But Abram said, “O 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.”
Genesis 15:1-3
This was after God had already called him a great nation. After this lament, the Lord showed him the vision of the stars. Yet, Abraham went along with Sarah’s plan of having a child with Hagar. Yes, the father of faith agreed to take matters into his own hands.
But, the thing about a vision is that it never leaves you. It tags at your heart, no matter what you do to silence it.
And Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!” Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son[…]
Genesis 17:18-19
What kept Abraham strong in these times of weakness?
Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”
Romans 4:18
When faith is weak, hope in hope.
Love:
Faith is anchored in love for God.
Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me[…]
John 14:21
One of the best definitions of faith I have heard is that it is acting on what God has told you to do.
Whatever God told Abraham to do, he did, proving his love for God, which was the key that unlocked the nations within him.
Your Turn:
Can you imagine being named a father and remaining childless for 86 years!
Perhaps like Abraham, your life seems to be a contradiction to the dream that has been knocking at your heart for years.
Abraham was 75 years old when he left Haran, as God had commanded him and 100 years old when he received Isaac. It took 25 years to receive his promise.
Perhaps like Abraham, you have been walking in obedience to God’s instructions but the vision within you seems to be a mirage at best? Perhaps you have gotten tired of waiting and are bargaining with God to instead fulfill His purpose for you through your “Ishmael” ?
Or perhaps like Abraham, you are experiencing success in every other area of your life (see our Abraham series), except in what you know to be your area of calling?
To you I say, carry along faith, hope & love in the journey of your vision.