Tuesday Talk: Abraham’s Reward Wasn’t Isaac
Genesis 15:1, 5-6 – “After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: ‘Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great….And he {God} brought him outside and said, ‘Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.’ Then he {God} said to him, ‘So shall your offspring be.’ And he {Abram} believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness.”
Abraham waited for his promised son for years and years. When Abraham questioned God, we just want to say….Oh, don’t worry! God has promised. He will fulfill the promise. We can say “just wait” to the characters in the Bible because we know the ending. We can skip ahead to chapter twenty one – to when Abraham held Isaac. But when we do, we miss the value of Abraham’s faith. We miss the real reward. And no, I’m not talking about the Isaac. Isaac wasn’t all Abraham received.
We always love verse six in chapter fifteen (And he {Abram} believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness.) Yes, Abraham believed God would give him a son. But God didn’t promise Abraham just a son. God promised so much more than just a nation and a linage. God promised something He promises all who follow Him. God promised Abraham something so amazing and precious. Something Abraham sought for the rest of His life.
God promised Abraham….Himself. He promised to be his God. God says: “I am your shield.” Matthew Henry said: “Not only the God of Israel, but a God to Israel.” A God to Israel. A God who would be more than just a God. He would be so much more. A Person. A presence. A relationship.
Psalm 84:11 – “For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor.”
“God himself was his hope, and joy, and all.” (Matthew Henry)
I see Abraham in Psalm 84:11. I see Abraham walking through life with all of the joys. And sorrows. The normal days. The extraordinary days. The days filled with hope and expectancy. And the days of doubting. All of the days packing up. Leaving. Traveling. Trading. Providing for his family. In those moments Abraham held on to his faith. Faith in his God. A personal God. A God who wandered the wilderness of waiting with him. A God who protected. A God who provided. The physical, yes. But also a God who become all Abraham would ever want or need.
Abraham needed reassurance for his faith in Genesis 15:1. God said: I am your shield. God said to Abraham and says to us: You can trust Me. I’ve promised to give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:3-4, “Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness, delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”
Abraham realized this truth: when our hearts are delighting in God, He becomes our delight. We are drawn to Psalm 37:3-4 because it is an amazing feel-good verse! As a teenager, I had it printed off and taped to the wall of bedroom. I had a list of desires. (Husband. Job. Kids. House.) So I began the journey to delight. I began to try and put God first. I stumbled around. Made mistakes. I prayed for a heart more devoted to Him. Yes, as I sought Him, I thought I would get my list of desires. So….
“We begin to question, ‘How can I delight myself in the Lord?’ We can almost hear Him whisper, ‘I’m so glad you asked.'” (Beth Moore)
I found my desires, but not where I thought they would be. I found my desires were in my relationship with God. My protection and shield. A shield I wield in faith. A shield which doesn’t stand distant. A shield which lingers close. A relationship so close. Breathing life inside of me.
It is true for me, as it was for the Psalmist and Abraham, God is enough. It can be true for you, too. Faith grows into a relationship. The shield of faith protects and provides. Yet, we cannot fathom the depths of how God protects and provides until we are delighting in Him. We are astounded to find, after all of our delighting, we will only be satisfied in Him.
He is not just a God who protects and provides, but a God who is with us. His presence was worth more to Abraham than a promise. A promise Abraham could hold on to most days, but what about the days of doubt? What about us? We find our God is our shield because He is our presence. He is with us. Emmanuel. A God who does not leave. You can push everyone else away, but not God. God will always come down into the pit of despair and sit with you. God will always ascend into the moutians of joy and rejoice along side you. And yes, God will walk the ordinary days of mundane.
He is your shield. He is with you.
“He enjoys being sought for the pleasure of His presence.” (Beth Moore)
Don’t stop seeking Him, dear friend. No matter what kind of day you are having: Seek His Presence. Seek to wield the shield of faith everyday. For in this shield you will find protection and provision, but more than that, you will find His presence.
Psalm 37:5 – “Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act.”
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How is (has) God been your desire? Have you an example of when as you sought God, you found your desires changed to match what He wanted?
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Such a great reminder that the reward isn’t THINGS but it is the Giver of things!
Sarah, I love that scene with Abraham looking at the night sky. I picture him being overwhelmed to realize the God who made all of that was talking with him! In reading your post I saw another gift I hadn’t put with this passage before. Abraham was given righteousness! Which we also receive when we believe, the righteousness of Christ. Thank you for reminding us that all our desires are satisfied in Him.
Great post, Sarah! Thank you. For me, faith means believing and trusting in God’s love for me – and in His Word. That what He says is true and that His promises will be fulfilled. It means remaining steadfast in trusting Him, regardless of how long it takes (or seems to take) for Him to fulfill His promises. I love that you quoted Beth Moore. Years ago, she came to Portland for a conference and based it entirely on Psalm 37. She challenged each of us to pray and claim Psalm 37:4 every day for a year and see what happens. Such a powerful and heart transforming experience. I still do it whenever I fee led. Sending blessings your way!
Sarah, every time I visit with you, I am so very blessed by your words! Thank you! I’m grateful for you, Dear One! GOD bless you! 🙂
Thank you so much Tai! I appreciate YOU! 🙂
Hi Sarah,
This was a fantastic post! This line really resonated with my heart -“His presence was worth more to Abraham than a promise.” I pray I always value God’s presence more than His promise!
Have a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving!
Lori