this year, every time i turn around, i feel like God is speaking through the story of Abraham. i love it! i love that every time i read something about him or his story i am blown away. genesis, romans, hebrews, etc…every. time. it is amazing to me the things abraham does and says and the things God says about him.
my friend Roary introduced me to this incredible message by Tim Keller. as i listened to it, my heart lept into my throat as i understood one more level of this covenant God made with us.
so genesis 15. i love how in verse 7 abraham is like yeah ok but how do i KNOW??? God had made all these promises but he wanted to know how he could be sure that God would come through. and God’s response is basically build an alter and sacrifice. and i guess that is where i stopped. God told him to bring him these animals.
but then the astounding happens.
as abraham falls into a deep sleep, and a dreadful, great darkness fell on him. after God reiterated the promises He had made, the word says that a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. God straight up went through the middle of the sacrifices which is what was required of those who were partaking in a covenant.
the incredible part is that He never told abraham to pass through. He alone went through. so as to say, if i fail to hold up my promises let me be like these animals…if YOU fail to hold up your part of the covenant, let me be like these animals.
either way, He was promising to uphold the promise to be faithful. He promised to be faithful even when abraham was not faithful.
THAT is the God i serve. it is His kindness that draws me to Him. what a kind and gracious God! He is that God who cares for us to send His Son to die to reconcile us to Him all the while caring more about our sanctification and holiness than our happiness. and it is there that i see my ways and thoughts are no where near His.
and i am humbled. humbled to know and serve and love a God like that.
