The Covenant is Contingent upon Your Confession

And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. (Genesis 17:1-5)

This moment of encounter with God was more than a mere reaffirmation of God's promise. It was an invitation for Abraham to embrace a new identity and destiny. God's promise to multiply Abram exceedingly was not only contingent on God; it required Abram's active participation and obedience. Covenant is always a bilateral agreement. It required God’s faithfulness and Abram's response.

As Abram fell on his face before God, he accepted that his relationship with the Almighty defined his identity and destiny. When God spoke, changing his name from Abram to Abraham, it signified a shift in his identity. No longer was he merely the exalted father (Abram), but he was now declared the father of many nations (Abraham). When God speaks, identities are reshaped, destinies are redefined, and legacies are established.

Abraham's journey from doubt to faith, and from Abram to Abraham, serves as a reminder to us that God is a covenant making and covenant keeping God! He always keeps His side. It’s up to us to align our words with His and to keep ours!

Practical Application

Take a moment to reflect on your identity in Christ. Write a few Scriptures that affirm your identity as a child of God. Whenever doubt or uncertainty arises, revisit these Scriptures and declare them over your life. By anchoring your identity in Christ, you empower yourself to walk in confidence, purpose, and divine destiny.

Genesis 13:16; Genesis 15:18

The God Who Sees Beyond our Mistakes

And she called the name of the Lord that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me? Wherefore the well was called Beerlahairoi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered. And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son's name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael. And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram. (Genesis 16:13-16)

Hagar, alone in the wilderness, encountered God. In her vulnerability, worry, and mess, she found solace in the assurance that she was not invisible to Him. She calls Him, El Roi, the God Who sees. What a profound statement of God's omnipresence and omniscience! Yet, the revelation of El Roi came about because of human decisions that were against God's plan.

Abram and Sarai's impatience led them to fulfill God's promise their own way. The birth of Ishmael through Hagar was a product of their human reasoning, not of faith. It was a decision that would have significant ramifications for generations to come, including wars we see happening in our world today. Instead of waiting on God's timing and promise, they wanted to speed up God’s plan.

Hagar’s experience serves as a reminder that our attempts to manipulate or rush God's plan often result in very negative consequences. Yet, even in our moments of missteps and mistakes, God still sees us. God still wants to redeem us, and God gives us opportunities to come back to His purposes and plans. Despite Abram's failure to trust fully in God's promise, God's covenant with him was not nullified. God continued to give him opportunities to make it right. He is El Roi, the God who sees beyond our mistakes.

Practical Application

Have you ever had to deal with the ramifications of past decisions you made that were not positive or in faith? Take heart. God's ability to redeem us from our mistakes is not contingent on our perfection but on us trusting in and leaning on His unfailing love. Like Hagar, we serve a God who sees us—not just in our triumphs, but especially in our vulnerabilities and failures.

Proverbs 15:3; Proverbs 5:21

The God who Hears, The God who Speaks

And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Behold, thou art with child and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the Lord hath heard thy affliction. And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren. (Genesis 16:11-12)

At the moment described in Genesis 16:11-12, Hagar's difficulty, worry, and betrayal transformed into a beacon of hope. The name Ishmael itself, meaning God hears, shows that she knows the Lord was attentive to her cries of distress.

Yet, the very next verse presents us with a paradox. Ishmael's legacy was described this way: And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren. This is a prophecy of strife that Ishmael and his descendants would have with their Jewish brethren for the rest of time.

Historically, we recognize the profound implications of this prophecy. The reference to wild man hints at a people fiercely passionate, deeply rooted in their hate, and constantly fighting regardless of what is at stake. The subsequent mention of Ishmael's descendants, particularly in the context of the Muslim community—comprising both Shiite and Sunni factions—sheds light on the centuries-old conflicts and alliances that have shaped our world. Their history, marked by battles not only with the Jewish people but also amongst themselves, is a testament to what God prophesied eons ago.

We should focus on Hagar’s revelation, not just Ishmael’s descendants’ conflicts. God hears our affliction. He speaks in the middle of our trouble, and He always has a plan to redeem. If we will quiet the noise around us and simply listen, we will hear the voice that leads us out of our trouble.

Practical Application

When you pray, listen. Yes, God hears you when you pray, but He also desires to speak to you to lead you through the challenge. Quiet the noise around you and take the time to listen.

Genesis 29:32; Genesis 21:20