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Daily Devotion: Genesis 17:1-5 and 17

Genesis 17:1-5    "And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee." 

Genesis 17:17    "Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?" 

Twenty-four years had passed since God first told Abram that he would make of him a great nation (Genesis 12:2). Abram was now nearly a century old, and Sarai was not far behind him in years. Still, at ninety-nine years old, God told Abram to walk before him and be whole. Never think for a minute that you are too old (or too young, or too ANYTHING) for God to have a purpose in your life. 

No matter how long we have lived and served the LORD, only in continuing to walk with our God can we expect to be complete. At no stage of our lives will we ever be able to say to Him that we can take it from here. He has made a covenant with His children that cannot be broken. In walking in His covenant there is great blessing. 

Abram still believed God, as we see demonstrated in the fact that he fell on his face. He did not doubt the might or the majesty of the One speaking with him. On this instance, the LORD did not just tell Abram that He would make of him a great nation (singular, for Israel). God here foreshadowed the inclusion of the Gentiles in His covenant because he told Abram “…thou shalt be a father of many nations.” Notice that there is a plurality of nations promised to Abram and not just one. In accord with this revelation, God changed his name from Abram to Abraham. 

As God went on to outline the requirements of this covenant for all that were of Abraham’s household, he also promised him that he would have a son by Sarai (whose name He changed to Sarah). We see that Abraham laughed at this news as did Sarah a little later. However, God did not rebuke Abraham for his laughter. 

Remember that Abraham believed God. He was on his face before the LORD and communing with Him. Abraham had just been told that he would be the recipient of something the world would call impossible. He laughed, I believe, for the joy of knowing that God’s promise was to be trusted implicitly. His questions were ones of wonder and not of doubt. 

Dear ones, do not ever be afraid to bask in the wonder of God’s promises. Do not ever think that you have come to a point in life where God does not have a purpose for you. Rejoice in His plans and glorify His holy name!

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