Hope Against Hope

In Canaan, God blessed Abram and Lot adding to their servants and flocks until their combined substance became too great for them to dwell together so that they had to separate. Lot chose to journey east towards Sodom, after which God promised Abram and his seed all the land that he could see, north, south, east and westward forever. More years and events passed which included the invasion by King Chedorlamoer of Elam with his allies, of Sodom, Gomorrah and their allies, wherein all including Lot and his possessions were taken as spoils. Abram had then armed his 318 trained servants and with the help of 3 friends, pursued after and defeated 4 powerful kings and brought back all the captives and goods. After this `breathtaking feat, he declined the king of Sodom’s offer to keep the goods. Mechizedek, king of Salem and high priest of God then blessed Abram and received tithes from him. Abram’s extraordinary courage and valour were energised by pure, unfeigned faith for truly he belonged to the Most High God who had delivered his enemies into his hand! In later years, his brave intercession for Sodom and Gomorrah, though insufficient to stay God’s judgement of brimstone and fire called for by heinous sins, won reprieve for Lot and his daughters.

Abram’s wait for his promised son was to be a long one in the patience of faith. To encourage him, God visited in a vision, “Fear not Abram: I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward”. He was getting old but Sarai’s passing years mattered more and each year as she got older, his faith had to increase! Rom4:18-22 describes it thus: “Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. And not being weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither the deadness of Sarah’s womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.” Abram therefore obtained righteousness through faith before Isaac was born! But Sarai could not wait and brought to Abram her maid, Hagar, resulting in the birth of Ishmael. God blessed this child nevertheless because he was Abram’s child, though not the promised child that was to be through Sarai.

Abram’s faith was not misplaced or self-seeking. He did not insist on his way but was willing to have Eliezer his steward or Ishmael made his heir, if this was God’s will. But 13 seemingly long years after Ishmael’s birth, God finally visited, re-affirmed that Abram would be father of many nations, gave him circumcision as a seal of his righteousness and changed their names to Abraham and Sarah (father and mother of nations). The following year, Sarai at 90 bore a child, called Isaac because she laughed and he brought laughter into their lives, and Abraham saw the first fruit of God’s marvellous promises.

If our faith is weak and needs to be increased, may we learn from Abraham and look to the living and true God alone! He created the universe and is able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond what we dare think or ask! Abraham’s faith was childlike, as from a servant’s heart marked by patience even in unanswered prayer. The secret to more faith then is servant-hood and Abram’s long wait was timed in God’s wisdom to perfect him.