Abraham Following God’s Dream
Genesis 15:1-20
Jim Davis
I was down in the Florida Keys a few years ago and I noticed how many Haitians were working at fast food restaurants. I wondered how they could afford to live in the Keys working at a fast food restaurant. They practically swam to this country to pursue the American dream. When they hit the shores they look for a job, they are never too particular about the job they take. Any job in this country beats the poverty they just left. They come with less than nothing. They have reached down in themselves sacrificing things they really didn’t have to get here. They usually feel very blessed to just be in America.
Latinos come to this country with different languages, different cultures, but they come doing the same thing the Haitians do and consider it a blessing to be here. I read a news article the other day that said the Latinos are more optimistic about their future in this country than those of us who were born here. I met a family from Albanian the other day. They have been in this country for six months. They were all smiles. They said America was like heaven. I am afraid that these individuals are the ones who will have to keep the American dream alive.
The Bible is filled with stories of individuals who were determined to achieve God’s dream for their lives. They were determined to avail themselves of the opportunity to claim God’s promises.
Determination Doesn’t Remove Doubt and Misgivings
One of our greatest hindrances to seeking God’s dream for our lives is fear. Most of those who come to seek the American dream must overcome their fear. Their dreams are realized as they tremble in fear working to accomplish the American dream. I can tell you from personal experience that it is not easy living in a foreign country. It is down right scary. Abraham was afraid when he stepped out of his own country to pursue God’s dream for his life.
Genesis 15:1-8
15:1 After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision:
"Do not be afraid, Abram.
I am your shield,
your very great reward."
2 But Abram said, "O Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?" 3 And Abram said, "You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir."
4 Then the word of the LORD came to him: "This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir." 5 He took him outside and said, "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."
6 Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
7 He also said to him, "I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it."
8 But Abram said, "O Sovereign LORD, how can I know that I will gain possession of it?" NIV
Notice what God says to Abram immediately after his successful battle with Kedorlaomer. “After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: ‘Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.’” This may make us wonder why God would speak to Abram about his fears. He had just had a great success in battle. He had paid Melchizedek priest of God a tithe of all the plunder he had taken in battle (Genesis 14:18 NIV). Notice what he told the king of Sodom.
Genesis 14:18-24
18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, 19 and he blessed Abram, saying,
"Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
Creator of heaven and earth.
20 And blessed be God Most High,
who delivered your enemies into your hand."
Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.
21 The king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the people and keep the goods for yourself."
22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and have taken an oath 23 that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the thong of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, 'I made Abram rich.' 24 I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share that belongs to the men who went with me--to Aner, Eshcol and Mamre. Let them have their share." NIV
Looking at this through twentieth century eyes it seems as though Abraham is very confident about his dependence upon God’s blessings. But really he isn’t as confident as it might seem.
The “After this” in the first verse of this chapter refers to Abram’s battle against Kedorlaomer (Gen 14:17 NIV). He had won a battle against Kedorlaomer who had plundered Sodom and captured men and women which included Abram’s nephew Lot and all his family. Abraham successfully led 318 of his men against Kedorlaomer to regain the spoils and captives that had been taken from Sodom.
In the ancient world when one tribesman engaged in battle with another tribesman it usually created many more problems than it solved. This was especially true if you were on a sojourn in their country as an outsider. It didn’t make any difference about why you were there—even if you were called by God.
The king of Sodom stood their and watched Abram offer a tenth of the spoils to the priest of God. A tenth of what originally belonged to him. Even though the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people and keep the goods for yourself,” Abram didn’t buy it. He knew that sooner or later the king of Sodom would resent him for it.
Kedorlaomer wasn’t going to forget that this stranger stuck his nose in where it didn’t belong. Abram had done what he felt he had to do, but he was far from confident over the decision he made.
When you step into modern day Afghanistan and Iraq you can see this mindset that dates back to the days of Abraham. This is the situation in Iraq and Afghanistan today. We may have defeated the enemies of many who live in that country, but they are not so sure that we are their friends. We will probably never see the kind of peace we desire in those countries. In fact they feel more threatened by us than ever. It will take more than sophisticated weapons to change the mindset of the world.
So God steps into Abram’s life at a moment in which he needed reassurance saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.” Abraham was feeling somewhat insecure at the moment so he asked, “Lord, how do I know that I will inherit this land as a lasting possession.”
Reassurance Doesn’t Make Dreams Easier
The amazing thing about God speaking to Abram is that God never reassures him that his descendants possessing the land will be easy. Notice what God says to Abram about the hardships his descendants will face. He actually tells him that pursuing his dreams for his life will not get any easier for him or his descendants.
Genesis 15:13-16
3 Then the LORD said to him, "Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years. 14 But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions. 15 You, however, will go to your fathers in peace and be buried at a good old age. 16 In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure." NIV
God never assures us that seeking his dream and purposes for our lives will be easy. Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount tells us the result of seeking God’s dreams for our lives. Jesus promised that the poor in spirit would see the kingdom of God, but it wouldn’t be without a great deal to mourn over, for he promised the mournful would be comforted. He promised the meek would inherit the earth, the hungry would be filled, but not before they would be blessed because of their persecution.
Lives are not made easier just because they are pursuing God’s dream. There is no promise life will be made easier. God does promise that he will be our shield—or protector and our exceedingly great reward. Joseph’s life wasn’t made easy because he had a God given dream, but he held on to the dream. He persisted in his trust in God. He worked to make that dream a reality. His dream possessed him and therefore became real.
I truly believe the closer we get to realizing God’s dream individually the more the demons will attack us. The harder it will seem, but we must not fear, for God is our shield and our reward.
God had Abraham to prepare animal sacrifices so that God could make a binding covenant with him. When God passed through the animal sacrifices it meant that if he didn’t follow through with his promise to Abram, may he be treated as Abram treated the animals he sacrificed (Jeremiah 34:17-20).
Today God’s promises are as certain as the sacrifice of Christ, but the gospel of good news doesn’t make living for God any easier.
Acts 14:21-23
21 They preached the good news in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, 22 strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. "We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God," they said. 23 Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust. NIV
Age Old Concerns Still Haunt Us
Despite God’s reassuring Abram of his protection and reward, Abraham asks the same questions all of us ask.
Genesis 15:2-6
2 But Abram said, "O Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?" 3 And Abram said, "You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir."
4 Then the word of the LORD came to him: "This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir." 5 He took him outside and said, "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."
6 Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
How can I have a future in light of the present, was Abram’s question. The future of the ancient world was wrapped up in having descendants to provide for and defend the tribal unit. Abram’s didn’t have any descendants. He was going to leave his earthly possessions to Eliezer. Abram wanted to follow God but his present circumstances sought to blind him to God’s dream. When God promised Abram the land of Canaan Abram asked, "O Sovereign LORD, how can I know that I will gain possession of it?" Without a successor there will be no one to succeed the land too.
I believe Abram was asking the questions out of determination rather than resignation that things couldn’t get any better. His questioning had more to do with his desire to know how it was all going to work. He was far from resigning himself to the circumstances surrounding him.
Faith is the evidence of things not seen. We must be determined to step into the unseen we begin to discover God’s power for our lives.
The path we take is not as important as the reason we take it. Abraham found himself wandering around in the land of promise with a determination to make God’s dream work for his life. He was determined to make God’s dream a reality even if he had to have a son by his handmaid. His plan was not God’s plan, but his motives were pure. He was determined to have the descendants God promised even if he had to devise his own way.
The Bible is filled with people who were filled with God’s dream for their lives. The Macedonians were extremely impoverished but they were so enthralled with the good news about Jesus Christ that they had the determination to give what they didn’t have the ability to give to make God’s dream come true. They were able to do this because they had embraced God’s grace for their lives. As a result it was God’s grace that gave them the power to go beyond their ability.
2 Corinthians 8:1-9
8:1 And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2 Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. 5 And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will. 6 So we urged Titus, since he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. 7 But just as you excel in everything-in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us-see that you also excel in this grace of giving.
8 I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. NIV
God’s dream works for our lives when we give ourselves totally to the Lord as the Lord has given himself totally to us.
A life time of commitment in marriage works because of determination. Relationships work because of determination. Finances work because of determination. When God sees our determination he makes all things work for our good. Actually he is seeking to do this even if we are not determined to follow his will, but we will never live by faith until we are determined to step into the unseen.
Trusting God for the unseen future today isn’t any easier than it was in Abraham’s world. The world system seems to be against us, and we are afraid to challenge it.
Conclusion:
The prerequisite for determination is to believe in God’s plan for making this world work to bless us.
I have always thought raking leaves and Pine tree needles was foolish. I noticed one hot dry summer that the Pine trees on the church lot drop an unseemly amount of their needles. Much hard work went into raking the needles up and putting them in garbage bags to be hauled to the dump.
The trees were dropping their needles to survive—the less needles the less water the tree needed. The hot dry summer caused this reaction, but we were determined to rake up the Pine needles. God designed the trees to drop their needles, but it serves a twofold purpose. Not only does it make less of a demand on the tree for water, but as the ground is covered under the tree is covered with needles, it provided a natural barrier against the loss of ground water through evaporation, thus conserving the limited amount of water available. But we found ourselves working against God’s natural order of things.
The world’s way of doing things blinds us to God’s original plan for our lives. It makes us wonder if we can succeed, or how God’s dream for our lives will come true.
But God simply says, “Trust me, and follow me!” Trust me like Noah, Abraham, and Joseph. Just trust me and I will see to it that my dreams for your life become a reality.