His Way, Not My Way

Genesis 12-15

Oh, how many times I have tried to do things on my own, in my own ways, with my own power. I have even done this under the banner of ministry, leaving broken relationships and burnt bridges. Ironically, I usually felt like I was doing God a favor. Yea, right! I just got in the way! But this wrong way of thinking only becomes more obvious when considering salvation!

After chapter 11 ended with  man trying to save himself, "making a name for himself, " we watch as God beautifully begins to weave together His plan of the redemption of mankind. And He does it not through reaching out to the masses, but by beginning with one man, Abram. God comes to Abram at the beginning of the twelfth chapter and repeats a series of "I will's" to him. In this divine pledge, there is almost no mention of Abram's responsibilities. Even the things that are said to be done by Abram in this great promise of God are more so byproducts of God's covenant than accomplishments credited to Abram! God would take care of it all.

But here's the ironic part, even the "father of our faith," Abram (Gen 15:6), seemingly can't leave the details to God. Immediately after God speaks these words to Abram, Abram moves to Egypt during a famine and pawns his wife off as his sister in a sly attempt to save his own neck!

He had just been promised a multitude of descendants (of which at the moment he had NONE)! And so he does God a favor, to make sure God's promise wouldn't fail, he tells a half-truth to avoid being possibly killed off before he could have those descendants(v.13). And at first, it worked! Just like he had planned it to (v.16).

But it wasn't how God wanted to reveal Himself, nor did God need any help in following through with His promises! The rest of the chapter tells of God's chastening redirection.

So God comes back to Abram and says, "I will be your shield" (Gen 15:1) and then, to top it off, we read of God, symbolized by a smoking oven and flaming torch, committing Himself alone to His covenant (Gen 15:17-21). What is interesting here is again the absence of Abram's requirements. In biblical covenants, animals were split and laid on the ground for covenant-making members to walk through. This symbolized the curse they would bear if they did not follow through with their oaths. Here God alone guarantees the promise. Abram watches in worship.

Through the Fall, the Flood and the Tower of Babel, we read as man tried to do things his own way. We have only begun a journey through the OT, but sadly we will only continuously be reminded of failed attempts on our own. But on the flip side, the good news demonstrated this morning is that salvation is still possible. But it is of God, and Him alone!

There is no other "religion" that hands salvation over to its God alone. All others ascribe to a works-based theology of sorts, except Christianity. From the very beginnings of the OT, this has always proved to be the case. Abram, our father of the faith, was coming to understand this. His God was big enough to handle things.

I am grateful to know that God doesn't need my help. In fact it's completely the other way around. I desperately need His! And what makes me smile most, it's not dependent on me at all. It was and still is dependent on God's promises and His commitment to all who trust in His name. He is the truly our shield.