March 4, 2021: Listening for God’s Promise 

Text:  

Genesis 17:1-2: When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lorde appeared to Abram, and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless. And I will make my covenant between me and you, and will make you exceedingly numerous.” 

Meditation:  

Abram is just about the least likely person God might decide to choose as the founder of a great natioin. He’s very old—in fact, as Paul says of him in the letter to the Romans, he was “already as good as dead.” And yet he has spent a lifetime listening for God. In his prayer, and in his life, he has listened to God; and now he hears a promise made to him, a call given to him, that he cannot imagine fulfilling. (He even laughs at the idea.) And yet Abraham, having heard this promise, responds in faith—and the promise God makes is fulfilled. 

Questions: 

• What promises has God made to you? What call have you heard that feel beyond your capacity? 
• Have you ever surprised yourself at realizing that a promise made to you that seemed incredible actually came to pass? 
• Can you think of an example of someone called to task that seemed to be completely beyond their grasp—because they were too old, or too weak, or too poor—that they ended up doing?