In the Book of Genesis, we read about God’s promise to Abraham. God promised Abraham that he would have a son, who would be his heir. The seed of Abraham would be as the numbers of the stars. However God’s promise to Abraham did not come to pass immediately, but Abraham had to wait for many years before God’s promise came to pass. God’s Word is full of promises, but sometimes it may take a while before the promises of God will come to pass. But what do you do in the meantime, while you are waiting for God’s promise?
God’s promise to Abraham
After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, 言ってる, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus? And Abram said, 見よ, to me thou hast given no seed: そして, ロー, one born in my house is mine heir. And, 見よ, the word of the Lord came unto him, 言ってる, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. He brought him forth abroad, そして、言いました, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And he believed in the Lord; and He counted it to him for righteousness (創世記 15:1-6).
In Genesis chapters 12 そして 13, we read about God’s promise to Abraham. In chapter 15, God came to Abraham again and reminded Abraham about His promise.
When Abraham received God’s promise about an heir, Abraham saw a little problem in the natural, namely, that he didn’t have a child. Of course, God knew this, but God promised Abraham, that He would give him a son of his own. This son of Abraham would become his heir.
God showed Abraham the stars and God promised Abraham, that the number of his seed would be the same as the numbers of the stars. Abraham believed the words of God and because Abraham believed God, God counted it to him for righteousness.
Helping God
When Abraham informed His wife Sarah about God’s promise, Sarah knew that she couldn’t have any children. したがって, Sarah decided to help God a little bit, by offering her Egyptian handmaid Hagar to Abraham, so that she could bear Abraham’s child. Abraham listened to Sarah and Hagar became pregnant.
But this was not God’s work, it was the work of man. The result was that when Hagar became pregnant, she despised Sarah. Sarah went to Abraham and informed him about this matter.
Abraham said to Sarah, that Hagar was in her hands, and that she could do with her, whatever pleased her. Then Sarah dealt hardly with Hagar and Hagar fled into the wilderness.
In the wilderness, the Angel of the Lord appeared to Hagar and instructed her to return to Sarah and submit herself to her. He promised Hagar, that her seed would be multiplied exceedingly and that her son would be named Ishmael.
Hagar returned and bore Abraham a son; Ishmael. Abraham was 86 years old when Hagar gave birth to Ishmael.
The covenant between the Lord and Abraham
Thirteen years later, when Abraham was 99 years old, the Lord appeared to Abraham and made a covenant with him. God gave him a new name ‘Abraham’, instead of Abram, because God would make Abraham a father of many nations. As a sign of this covenant, Abraham and every man child had to be circumcised.
God gave Saraï also a new name; Sarah, because He would bless her and make her a mother of nations. He promised, that Sarah would bear Abraham a son.
Sarah was 90 years old and Abraham was almost 100 years old, so Abraham started laughing and wanted to help God by suggesting, that Ishmael would be the son of the covenant, but God didn’t need the help of Abraham.
God already had a plan. His plan was known, even before the creation of the earth. God wasn’t joking, nor did He make a mistake by promising Abraham a son. He not only promised Abraham a son, but He also gave Abraham his name: Isaac.
The son of the promise and His covenant would be with Isaac and not with Ishmael. But God promised Abraham, that He would bless Ishmael as well.
After some time, the Lord appeared to Abraham again en promised Him, that He would return within a year and that Sarah would bear him a son. Sarah listened to the conversation and started laughing within herself. God heard Sarah laughing and knew that Sarah doubted His word. Therefore God said, 「Is anything too hard for the Lord?」
Nothing is too hard for the Lord
But nothing is too hard for the Lord! And so it happened, that a year later, Sara gave birth to a son; Isaac. When Isaac was born, Abraham was 100 years old.
It took 25 年, before God’s promise came to pass. God called Abraham, when he was 75 years old and gave him the promise of his seed. After that, the Lord appeared to Abraham several times. Every time God reminded Abraham about His promise. But the older Abraham became, the harder it was to believe God for the promise. Even Sarah tried to help God, but God did not need any help.
In the meantime, Abraham stayed loyal to the Lord. He didn’t murmur and complain. Abraham obeyed the Lord and kept His commandments and stayed faithful to God.
What would have happened if Sarah had not interfered with God’s plan. What would the situation in the Middle East be?
Waiting for God’s promise and don’t interfere
It’s important to be waiting for God’s promise. Believe in God and His Word and be patient and don’t interfere. Do not help God, 少しも. Because a little bit can ruin a lot. Maybe you have received a promise from the Lord, but you don’t see anything happening yet. If you are this person, then learn from this story and learn to be patient and to wait.
What do you do in the meantime, while you are waiting for God’s promise? You should build yourselves up in your most holy faith, and do the things that the Lord has commanded you to do. Stay in His Word, pray and have communion with Him.
Hold on to the Lord and keep standing on God’s promise. Don’t doubt but stay faithful.
The important thing is that you don’t interfere and don’t try to help God, because this can backfire on you.
When God gave me a promise, a few months later something happened and I saw the beginning of the promise becoming to pass. I was very excited! Amazing things happened!
“Can you wait?”
Then the Lord asked me if I could wait. I wholeheartedly replied, YES. But I didn’t know, how long I had to wait. After these words, nothing happened for 3 years and although I promised the Lord that I could wait, I started to get a little bit anxious. I wanted God’s promise to come to pass.
When I shared this story with a believer, the person advised me to take action. I listened to this person’s advice and did what the person told me to do. Immediately after I did, what the person advised me to do, I felt horrible. I knew that it wasn’t right and that I ruined everything.
I had interfered in God’s plan, which wasn’t a wise thing to do. Instead of waiting for God’s promise and waiting upon the Lord and being patient, as I promised to God, I took matters into my own hands, expecting that I could make it happen. I should have remained standing on God’s promise and prayed in the meantime and believe in His Word. I had so much regret! Up to this day, I am still waiting. I don’t know how long it will take, but I know one thing now: I have time. All I want, is just one thing: I want His will to be done in my life.
What seems impossible for man is possible for God
The greatness of God is revealed in things, which seem impossible for man to happen. Faith is to believe in God and expect the impossible. Just like Abraham and Sarah, who were, in the eyes of man, too old to conceive and bear a child, but the power and the greatness of God overruled everything and made it happen.
So have faith in Him and focus on Him and wait… even if it takes a long time. Don’t do anything stupid, but wait. Hold on to God’s promise, stay faithful to Him, and believe that He will make it happen!
「地の塩となれ」’
