Genesis 17:1-7
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless. Then I will make my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.”
Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.
The work of God continued through many generations through many people as described in the Old Testament. Nations would arise from Abraham but it took a long time!
God’s greatest work occurred through Jesus and the Cross and the Resurrection. And God would bring salvations to the nations through the church that would be born at Pentecost. That work goes on to this day and there are still parts of the world where peoples haven’t yet been reached.
Abraham probably wondered what he was getting into trekking away from his home to a land he didn’t know. The disciples would slowly catch onto what Jesus was asking them to do – that they would face literal Crosses too in some cases and in all cases give up their agenda to serve the Lord.
And so we follow, like Abraham, like the early disciples, even if we feel uncertain or face difficulty. However, it is worth it to have life in Christ! What the world can offer pales in comparison. And so we are blessed and let us be a blessing to others!
Center for Chinese Church Studies 