Genesis 11-16, Genesis 18:14

David Kramer considers God's faithfulness.

David Kramer

By the time you read this, it will be about three years since we formally joined two churches together. One was born back in the 1970's and the other born out of our root, coming up to five years ago.

All in all it's been an amazing journey, but not today. We have now passed one building on to a developer, so our former building is being turned into affordable homes, in partnership with a local Housing Association.

This has meant emptying a large building and deciding what to do with all the 'stuff' you gather over 20 or so years. That 'stuff' included mountains of paperwork. Therefore I've spent quite a bit of my time lately, going through old financial records, files, sermons, prophetic words and minutes.

It's been a mixed experience. On the one hand it's been really nostalgic, as I've been reminded of good times, exciting times and some lovely people. On the other hand it's been quite sobering, as I've read words that were spoken with such conviction and sincerity at the time, (not least by me), some of which have simply not come to pass. This raised some uncomfortable questions:

i) Did God ever say that in the first place?
ii) If so what went wrong?
iii) If not how come we were so sure at the time?
iv) And therefore, what about now?

A couple of days ago God took me to the question, is anything too hard for the Lord? So let me invite you to travel with me, as I try to summarise some of what happened both before and after that question.

• In Genesis 11:27-32 Terah (Abram's father) sets out for Canaan but reaches a place called Haran and settles there.


• Genesis 12:1-5 God calls Abram to leave Haran. He does so taking with him his wife (Sarai), his nephew (Lot) and, ".all their possessions that they had gathered and the people that they had acquired.".


• Genesis 12:10-20 They divert to Egypt because of a famine and Abram asks Sarai (remember she's his wife) to pose as his sister in case Pharaoh takes such a fancy to her that he decides to take Abram out. In other words my love - doesn't matter what happens to you so long as I'm ok! God rescues and redeems the situation but it's hardly Abram's finest hour!


• Genesis 13:14-18 God shows Abram the land he is to possess and instructs him to walk it. Abram is still in the plan even after such a serious failure back in Egypt - encouraged?


• Genesis 14:1-16 Abram rescues Lot - well done Abram, that's better! This results in Melchizedek (14:18-21) pronouncing God's blessing to him. Many of the documents I've looked at recently declared God's promises to, and blessing upon us.


• Genesis 15 God makes a covenant with Abram. Cool, back on track now!


• Genesis 16 Oh dear - Just when it was going so well! Abram and Sarai mess up as she gives her servant to Abram, he takes her and she conceives and births his child. That was never in the plan.

Even when they've messed up big time, in Genesis 17:5-6 Abram is renamed Abraham (father of a multitude of nations). Sarai is renamed Sarah AND God promises Abraham a son by Sarah, "...she shall become nations, kings of people shall come from her...). Encouraged?

In verse 17 Abraham laughs. Have you ever laughed at a promise from the Lord?

In Genesis 18 three 'men' visit Abraham and declare that Sarah will have a son. In verse 12 Sarah laughs! Sometimes God says stuff that is so impossible it makes you laugh, but He's serious!

And that's the point at which He asks us to decide.

Is anything too hard for the Lord?

Looks like Abraham decided nothing is too hard for the Lord because in Genesis 21:1-7 we read about the miracle of Isaac's birth.

And, what's more, Abraham is able in obedience to offer up his one and only precious and promised son as a sacrifice. How? Because through all these experiences (both good and bad) he's learned some stuff and grown in both his knowledge of God and faith in God. So much so that he, "...Considered that God was able even to raise him (Isaac) from the dead..." Hebrews 11:19.

If you've stuck with me this far then that suggests that you're on a journey, maybe with others. Right now that journey might be exciting, full of promise and joy, or it might be wrapped in disappointment, struggle and personal failure.

God has a question for you. Is anything too hard for the Lord? My prayer is that encouraged by Abraham, you'll make the same decision he did.