Growing and Grace and Knowledge with Abraham: the Lord as Complete Covenant

The Lord has taken Abram from his former home to a land of promise. He has blessed him immensely, and Abram responded by worshipping the Lord at length.

Even though Abram did not obey perfectly, God led him through challenges that caused him to be obedient. He left Lot, he stayed by his wife, even though he had lied about her being his sister. Yet in all of these trials and errors, God still blessed Abram, because he walked in faith.

Then the Lord went further, presenting Himself as the source of all good things in Abram's life

"After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. " (Genesis 15: 1)

In our walk with God, we learn not just to love the Lord for what He does, for what He promises. We learn to receive and bask in His love for who He is. He is our shield, our protection, and the ultimate in terms of every reward. We can receive nothing without him, for God who gave us His own Son will not withhold anything else that we need (Romans 8: 31-32)

Abram still held onto God's promise that he would be the father of many nations, yet he still had doubts, which he was not afraid to share:

"And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?

"And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir." (Genesis 15: 2-3)

Even though Abram admitted his skepticism, he still expected to receive something from God. Every believer needs to develop that patient tenacity with God, in which we trust in Him as our source, as our great rewarder, that He is and will meet our needs (Hebrews 11: 6; Philippians 4: 19)

"And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.

"And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.

"And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness." (Genesis 15: 4-6)

This passage is telling because Abram has gone from believing God's promises, believing in His power to provide and protect for him, and now he believes in the Lord, the God of Covenant. In our faith walk, we learn to trust in God because He is God, He is King of the Universe, yet he deigns, desires to work in our lives, too.