When the sun was going down,
a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon
him. —Genesis 15:12
{CHAMBERS} “[A] saint’s duty is to be still and listen. […] The
story of Abram and Hagar in Genesis 16 is an excellent example of listening to
so-called good advice during a time of darkness, rather than waiting for God to
send the light. […] Never try to help God fulfill His word. Abram went through
thirteen years of silence, but in those years all of his self-sufficiency was
destroyed. He grew past the point of relying on his own common sense. Those
years of silence were a time of discipline, not a period of God’s displeasure. […]
Do I trust at all in the flesh? […] Do I trust in books and prayers or other
joys in my life? Or have I placed my confidence in God Himself, not in His
blessings? […] As soon as God becomes real to us, people pale by comparison,
becoming shadows of reality. Nothing that other saints do or say can ever upset
the one who is built on God.”
{ELGIN} Trusting in the Lord and not your own wisdom or plans (Proverbs 3:5-6, Proverbs 16:9) is perhaps
our biggest challenge. We know what “the
Lord saith”, but lack the faith to wait and trust. We can’t see God’s hand moving so we worry
and try to “help” God. I can remember one
of my granddaughters, when she was 3 or 4.
I would try to help her do something that was ay beyond her ability and she would say “Let me – I can do it
myself!” Out of the mouths of
babes. That was Abraham and Sarah’s
problem. Yes Sarah was complicit in Abraham’s sin. Sarah laughed at the thought of her having a
baby. (Genesis 18:12) They knew what
the Lord had said but lacked faith. Have
you ever struggled with that problem?
When God says something .. you know that it is true .. but you have a
hard time trusting in the truth. It is
endemic to your old nature. (Mark 9:21-26) “ Jesus asked the boy’s
father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered. “It
has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do
anything, take pity on us and help us.” “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything
is possible for one who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure
spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him
and never enter him again.” The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and
came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” But
Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.”
Faith is the “substance of
things hoped for and the evidence of things not see”. (Hebrews
11:1) It’s the “evidence of things not seen” part that that the father and
all of us struggle with. What is it in
your life that you need faith for? Faith
is a result of nearness to God. (Romans 1:17) “For in it the
righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The
just shall live by faith.” Strong faith is a result of exercising your faith,
just like your muscles. Faith requires
trust. Trust requires submission. Submission requires humility. You do not know better than God. (Proverbs 16:18) “Pride goes before
destruction, and a haughty spirit before
a fall.” Haughty means – Proud and disdainful; having a high opinion of one's
self, with some contempt for others; lofty and arrogant; supercilious.
Supercilious means – behaving or looking as though one thinks one is superior
to others. If you think you know better
than the Creator God the you have a haughty and supercilious attitude! Just like the Pharisees. We all struggle with
it. It is the nature of our flesh .. in fact, it
is at the root of Adam’s sin.
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