Partnering In The Promise
Then one of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.” – Genesis 18:10
One of the most popular miracles we read about in the Bible begins when God promises to give Abram a son in His old age. But this miracle doesn’t happen without Abram’s participation. For Abram to become the father of many nations he has to participate in the promise. This would not be an immaculate conception. Abram and Sarah have to do their part, according to the power working on the inside of them, for the promise to come to pass.
Similarly, finding the will of God in our own lives requires us to partner in the promise. The ancient rabbis put it this way: one should pray like it’s all up to God but also work like it’s all up to you.
Somewhere between God’s power and our effort, the impossible becomes possible. The Lord is saying, “Abram I’m going to bless you, but I need you to be a participant in your own blessing, to be willing to do what you can to bring the promises of God to reality in your life.”
One of the saddest realities of our time is that there are people with gifts and talents and promises who are sitting on the sidelines of life waiting on things to happen. But being in the will of God means knowing and understanding that we have to all participate in bringing the promise of God to pass. We can’t just sit idly by waiting for the Amazon delivery man to bring the fruit of God’s promises to our door. We must do our part in being faithful and obedient, following the Lord’s lead, so that we can take part in His promises coming true in our lives.
One of the most popular miracles we read about in the Bible begins when God promises to give Abram a son in His old age. But this miracle doesn’t happen without Abram’s participation. For Abram to become the father of many nations he has to participate in the promise. This would not be an immaculate conception. Abram and Sarah have to do their part, according to the power working on the inside of them, for the promise to come to pass.
Similarly, finding the will of God in our own lives requires us to partner in the promise. The ancient rabbis put it this way: one should pray like it’s all up to God but also work like it’s all up to you.
Somewhere between God’s power and our effort, the impossible becomes possible. The Lord is saying, “Abram I’m going to bless you, but I need you to be a participant in your own blessing, to be willing to do what you can to bring the promises of God to reality in your life.”
One of the saddest realities of our time is that there are people with gifts and talents and promises who are sitting on the sidelines of life waiting on things to happen. But being in the will of God means knowing and understanding that we have to all participate in bringing the promise of God to pass. We can’t just sit idly by waiting for the Amazon delivery man to bring the fruit of God’s promises to our door. We must do our part in being faithful and obedient, following the Lord’s lead, so that we can take part in His promises coming true in our lives.
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