"Taken Seriously" -2

"I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living." (Psalms 116:9)

 Just so you know, the moment in time that this took place when God spoke to Abram was about 15 years after Ishmael was born; a child born practically, not supernaturally!  Sometimes I dod't think we really totally understand the foundation of the covenant, because it is surely not about what we can do  or not do. Not too long before Abram went unto Hagar, at Sarai's request, God made that famous covenant agreement with Abram; the one where He had Abram lay out all the pieces of the animals, so that they could walk among them and sign the contract; a contract that said, 'Let this and more happen to me if I fail to fulfill my end of this agreement'. Interesting enough, God caused Abram to fall asleep, and He signed the contract all by Himself. In a nutshell, God fulfilled both sides of the contract and provided the finished deal for Abram to walk in; which is pretty much the same thing that Jesus did on the cross. What was it that made Abram righteous? It surely was not that he did not lie and doubt God, because he most surely did lie, and Ishmael is proof of his doubt in God. What made him righteous was that he believed God's word. As strange as that may appear, we can still believe God's word but doubt His seriousness to certain details. When God says He will do anything, He usually does not require our help to get it done! If God needs something done, then He will tell us what to do and we do it; that is how it is meant to work, we don't make plans for Him, He makes the plans for us to walk in. Anything that we do that is different from that is called the flesh doing it's thing, which is opposite of walking in the Spirit. The contrast between Ishmael and Isaac was just that, the flesh and the Spirit. But wait, it does not end there, because this account in Genesis 17 is also where God changes Abram's name to Abraham; new name is like new life...

"And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, As for me, behold my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. Neither shall thy name anymore be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee."" (Genesis 17:3-5) KJV