On Sunday morning, Rev. Kenneth I. MacLeod preached from Genesis 17:1 – 21, on the topic of, ‘God’s faithfulness to Abraham’.

Mr MacLeod began by saying that God cannot be hurried: He has His own timetable, and will fulfill His promises and His purpose at the right time. Humanly speaking, we are inclined to grow doubtful that He is listening, or that He is involved in our lives if there is a period of silence. It is worth remembering, however, that it is often during these apparent silences that the Lord does His greatest works.

We know that Abram experienced a 13-year silence. However, Mr. MacLeod suggested that this did not mean that there was no communication at all between Abram and God, but rather that God was silent on the subject of Abram and Sarai becoming parents together. It is entirely possible for us to put ourselves into their situation – both elderly already, they must have further lost hope of God’s promise being fulfilled with every year that passed.

Here, in verse 1, God calls himself ‘God Almighty’, or ‘El Shadday’ in Hebrew. While ‘El’ is a frequently-used Semitic word for God, it is usually followed by another word which emphasises a particular Divine attribute. In this case, the characteristic presented is power, denoted by the word, ‘shadday’.

This all-powerful God who was here reminding Abram that He was capable of all things, is the exact same God we worship today. As believers, we are sometimes inclined to forget, or take for granted, the great privilege we have in drawing near to the same God who created the universe and all it contains, out of nothing.

And here is that God, appearing to Abram in his hour of need. It is worth noting, also, not just the timeliness of the Lord’s interventions in Abram’s life, but the perfect sufficiency of the answers He offers to prayer. The two examples Mr MacLeod gave in this respect were:

- Abram’s battle with the kings, when God reminded him that He was his shield;

- When Abram resisted the temptation to take all the wealth of Sodom, and God said that He would be Abram’s ‘exceeding great reward’.

These are promises which fit exactly what Abram’s needs were at the time. In Chapter 17, God is doing the same thing, by reminding Abram that all things are possible with Him.

We also see from this passage that Abram was described not just as walking with God, but of walking before Him. This implies a closeness in which God wanted to always have Abram within His gaze. Knowing that God’s eye is upon one makes the Christian behave differently – there is more awe, and a greater sense of what it is they should represent to the world. It is no coincidence that the word used here is ‘walk’ and that one speaks of a Christian’s walk also.

Each and every one of us lives under God’s gaze. Even those who have been Christians for a long while, and may feel that the Lord is no longer actively involved in their lives should take heart from this. He sees and He knows, but perhaps He is allowing His people to mature in their faith without Him always shielding or guiding them in quite the same way as He might do with new Christians.

In chapter 17, God gives Abram and Sarai new names, denoting the way in which He intends to fulfill the Covenant promise through them. We read that Abraham laughed, though it is hard to say what motivated him – perhaps delight; perhaps a little doubt. Sarah reacts in much the same way in the very next chapter and so, it is hardly surprising that when they do have their son, Isaac, his name means ‘laughter’.

God brought laughter into the latter-end of life for this family which had seen so many sorrows and troubles. He often acts like this for His people, bringing the surprise of joy and blessing after a hard providence.

Of course, the laughter and pleasures of this world eventually come to an end; but in Heaven they will be everlasting.

Mr MacLeod finished with an exhortation – those who are walking with, and before, God are on the right road, he said. If you are not yet, however, he added, please take His outstretched hand which He is holding out to you today.