F O O T H O L D
READING
20 DEALING WITH DOUBTS
PRAY Help me to learn what
you want to teach me today, Lord.
READ Genesis 15:121
THINK What was God's
attitude to Abram's doubts? What does God show
Abram about himself?
FOCUS No Christian is immune
from doubts. Abram had his doubts, too. God
had promised him that he
would have many descendants (12:2), but
Abram could not see how
God's promise could be fulfilled. So he
talked to God. Notice in
verses 2 and 3 his humility 'Sovereign
Lord'; his realism 'my
slave will inherit'; his honesty he
wanted a son. These are
marks of the person who has learned to
pray. God loves us to
approach him like this. And he responds. Now
comes the real act of faith.
Abram took God at his owed(6); this
is what God loves, for this
is what makes us acceptable to him.
Not only does it mean
believing that what God says, he will do, it
involves making that belief
the basis of the way we live.
But the questioning
continues. This time it is not about a son but
about the land (8). The
solemn chopping in half of the animals and
birds (9,10) is the way a
deeply serious vow used to be made.
Abram fell into a deep sleep
and God spoke to him. Notice the
future God promised to
Abram's heirs (1316)? Look out for the
fulfilment of this in later
readings.
Then when the sun was
setting God entered into a covenant with
Abram. Just as with Noah,
God took the initiative and made the
promises, telling Abram the
territory that would belong to his
descendants. So God took
Abram deeper into his purposes. Again
notice how important this
idea of 'covenant' between God and his
people is to the themes of
the Bible.
PRAY Share your doubts and
questions openly, but honestly, with God.
Expect to hear his response.
