School of Humility


Genesis 17:1–5 (ESV) When Abram was ninety-nine years old the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, 2 that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly.” 3 Then Abram fell on his face. And God said to him, 4 “Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. 5 No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations.

 Please keep in mind the location of this event. Abram (now Abraham), has just gone into his wife's servant and fathered ONE child, Ishmael. He and Sarah took matters into their own hands and produced an offspring. The very offspring Paul will use in Galatians to refer to salvation by works (that is, salvation by our own power - Ishmael). But God will miraculously open the womb of Sarah at age 90 and bring forth the son of the promise, Isaac, who will represent salvation by grace in the power of God. 

 In Abraham's mind, this first son, Ishmael is the way God should go. To Abraham, it's God's "best" option to use Ishmael as the son of promise. 
Genesis 17:18 (ESV) And Abraham said to God, “Oh that Ishmael might live before you!”

 Isn't that just like us! We want God to accept our works to justify ourselves before Him. But God is perfect and we are not. All our works fall short of His glory and we cannot be good enough in our own strength. We cannot earn our salvation. We may try - like the rich young ruler who felt his riches were the result of his own morality.  But Jesus challenged his heart on the very thing he depended on to make himself right with God - and when that was exposed, he walked away sad. 

 It is so hard for us to NOT fall for religion. It comes natural. We want to be the master's of our own forgiveness and worthiness but we cannot! God will be glorified in graciously turning our hearts from stone to hearts of flesh and apart from Him, we can truly do nothing. 

 So God does something in Genesis 17 that is actually kind of funny. Who said God doesn't have a sense of humor? He changes Abram's name to Abraham. Here's the thing. "Abram" means "exalted father." "Abraham" means "Father of a multitude." 

 You can get away with the name, "Exalted Father" when you have ONE son. And that is the reason for Abram's plea for Ishmael to be the son God uses... he's trying to save face. That's the heart of religion. So that when people ask him at dinner parties what his name is, he can somewhat live up to it. But God now stretches the name to "Father of multitude" and Abraham has to bear the heat of only having ONE son.  He has to trust God yet again. How hilarious of God to very subtly stretch Abraham's faith in this move. He's not going to be allowed to trust in his own merit! God will not have it. God will be Abraham's trust, joy and source in all things. 

 This is our God! He will be our joy and satisfaction only and always. He will always be more gracious than our sinfulness. He will be better to us, even when we mess up and don't deserve it.

That should make you happy in God.

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