OCTOBER 2, Genesis 17:2 

In today’s verse, we have the record of the everlasting covenant that God made with Abraham – that God will multiply his descendants. Was the promise of God easy for Abraham to believe? We will not know the answer to this question until we know how old Abraham was when this promise was given to him.

Why don’t you make a guess? Was Abraham in his 30s, or perhaps 40s? No! Verse 1 of Genesis 17 tells us Abraham was 99 years old! Verse 17 of Genesis 17 further tells us that Abraham would be 100 years old and his wife Sarah 90 years old by the time the child was born. How old are your grandparents? It is unlikely they would be as old as Abraham and Sarah were then. Can you imagine your grandmother pregnant! What if you came home from school one day and mummy tells you that grandma is pregnant? You would think it is a joke!

For Abraham to believe God was no easy task. The usual child- bearing age of a woman is about 15 to late 40s. Sarah was almost twice the age of the oldest mothers around! People would be laughing if they knew of this. But Abraham believed.

Abraham’s faith was so strong and so early on in human history that believers today are called children of Abraham! We will see in the passages of this month that although Abraham was a man of God and had great faith as today’s reading tells us, he was not perfect. He would fail at times, needing the grace and forgiveness of the Lord. That is the case for all believers. There is no Christian out there that is perfect.

So at times, when you fail, at times, when you sin, do not be discouraged. Look to the Lord, as Abraham did, and trust in the God who will never forsake or leave us.

Thought: May I learn from Abraham!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for the great promise You have given to Abraham, and thank You that he believed. Please grant me the faith to believe the many promises You have given me in your Word. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.