Genesis 15-17
I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.
Genesis 17:1
Many years previous God had promised to Abram and Sarai that they would have a son.
But in their impatience, they tried to force the hand of God and Abram had a son by Sarai’s maid, Hagar.
Now, having waited thirteen years more God speaks to Abram once again.
For the first time, God reveals His name, El Shaddai – God Almighty.
It is as if God re-enforces the promise by saying, “What I promise I will do. Leave it to me!”
The Almighty God did not need Abram to find a way to have a son, God would fulfil His promise in His own way.
The Almighty God did not need Abram’s advice on the timing, God would fulfil His promise in His perfect time.
God, as He often does, prefaced a promise with an encouragement. God would bless Abram and make him a father of nations! But before any of that, God desired Abram to walk with Him, to believe Him, to rest in Him.
Abram exemplifies the response many have followed and one from which we can learn – he fell on his face.
Taking a position of complete humility he demonstrates the state of his heart with the position of his body. Humility. Faith. Submission. Obedience.
Much could be said about the Abrahamic Covenant which followed, but at the heart of this exchange is God’s relationship with Abraham.
God wants us to walk before Him too, to know Him, to obey Him, to have a genuine relationship with Him.
Psalm 6
In Psalm 6 David continues our theme of relationship.
David has sinned and now repents. He makes clear that sin pays wages – suffering. Always suffering at the hands of sin.
Yet, there is hope. As we reach verse 9 the psalmist could rejoice,
The Lord hath heard my supplication; the Lord will receive my prayer.
Psalm 6:9
As we walk before God may we remember His mercies, that He desires a relationship with us, to let Him work in His way and in His time, and then we will experience His blessings.
Leave a Reply