After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram, in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid Abram. I am your shield, your exceeding great reward.” But Abram said, “Lord GOD, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” Genesis 15: 1, 2, NKJV
Gracious GOD, thank You so much for the assurance that You are here with us as we study Your Word. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.
Today we find God in conversation with Abram. God has just made one of the most encouraging, and empowering promises to Abram. He promises to be his shield (a means of protection), and his exceeding great reward (a reward that surpasses normal expectations – it is exceeding and great!) God is not saying I will provide you with, but I will be, all of this to you! I will become your protection and your reward! And what follows is a “But…” What is there to say to God after such a promise, except, Thank You Lord! Unless, your heart is somewhere else! For the Bible says, “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Luke 12: 34, NRSV).
Abram is obsessed with having a son, a heir! It is one of the pressures that the society of his day has placed upon him. You were considered “blessed” to have your “quiver ful of them” (Psalm 127: 3-5). It was a way of showing the world that you have God’s favor! So Abram is succumbing to society’s pressure. How many people have done the same in our society, and in other parts of the world. We surrender our own priorities and accept those imposed on us by someone else, or society at large! Just remember my friends, the only approval we need, is God’s!
After God makes this magnificent promise to Abram his reply is, “Lord GOD, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” It is not enough to have your protection and a reward that is exceedingly great. I need a son, to feel that I have really accomplished something! We may criticize Abram and others who fall into society’s trap. But let me assure you that none of us are exempt from the possibility! It reminds me of John Bunyan, author of the religious classic, Pilgrim’s Progress; himself an alcoholic, saved by the mercies of God; whenever he would see a drunkard lying in the gutter, he would look on with deepest sympathy, and with great sadness, would be heard to say: “There lies John Bunyan; but for the grace of God!” The truth is, we are all sinners, saved by grace!
So as we see Abram struggling between accepting what God is offering him, and what society is demanding of him, “let us take heed, lest we fall!” What is truly sad, is the fact that God had already told Abram that he will give him offspring like the sand on the seashore! So there had to be a heir in God’s plan for him. Who knows all that that exceeding great reward entailed! But his heart was on having a son, more than on fulfilling God’s plan for his life. Unfortunately, this will cause him much grief in the future.
We will continue tomorrow. Take heart my friends! God is still in control!