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Look up the night sky and what do you see? In brightly lit Singapore, it is sometimes difficult to see the created lights. But those sitting on the white sandy beaches of Australia or standing by the padi fields of Vietnam can see the glorious and beautiful first lights much better than we in Singapore can. City lights can blur our vision of the night sky.
“Look up at the heavens and count the stars – if indeed you can count them.” Then He said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Abram believed the LORD (Gen. 15:5, 6). It is impossible to count the stars and yet Abram at aged 75 was first given this promise – that He will be fruitful, so very fruitful that his descendants will be as plentiful as there are stars in the night sky. Abram, the name which means “exalted father”, was re-named by God to be Abraham, the “father of multitudes”.
Abraham waited and, in the course of over 24 years, he considered helping God to fulfil His promise. Abraham thought that he should install Eliezer, a servant to be his heir. Abraham consulted God and was told that Eliezer was not to be his heir. Later on, at aged 86, Abraham again could wait no more and decided to take action into his own hands. This time Sarah, his wife, persuaded him to build a family through Hagar, her Egyptian maid. In spite of Abraham’s doubts and disobedience, the LORD’s will and purpose cannot be frustrated. “For the LORD Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart Him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?” (Isa. 14:27).
What can we learn from this? God’s purpose will prevail. Abraham, called and chosen by God, had to abide by God’s will and by His time. There is nothing he could or should do to fulfil God’s plan. All that is needed of Abraham was to “walk before GOD and be blameless”. Despite the disastrous diversions, God still blessed Abraham and made him fruitful.
Fruitfulness is not of our own doing. Nothing can come out of our own effort except to trust and obey and to wait on the LORD. Sometimes we want to see immediate result of our works but like Abraham we may have to wait a long time. Our paths may seem long and winding. We cannot rush God and neither can we turn His hand.
