Genesis 15:5, 5 He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”
In the Bible, in both Old Testament and the New Testament we read a lot about the promises of God. The word of God presents our Heavenly Father as the Lord of Promises. He is the Lord who fulfills every promise He makes. Eg: He promised Abraham that his offspring will be as numerous as the stars in the sky( Abraham). I will be with you wherever you go(Joshua). I will not let your children wander(David).
New Testament: I will always be with you; I will never abandon you; I will be with you till the end of time; etc. We do not receive the heavenly blessings according to our needs and time, neither is their fulfillment. Like the father on earth who knows and understands our every need, the Father in heaven knows better what we need and when. What we need is the patience to pray and wait for it to be fulfilled. We become disheartened when we do not receive them according to our time. We give up praying altogether.
Our forefather Abraham is an excellent example. He was childless. He received a vision from the Lord. What needs to be noticed here is that the blessing was received when he was advanced in age. Father Abraham celebrated the blessings received the Lord. He named his son and had him circumcised. the Bible teaches that he did the Lord’s will. Genesis 21:3-5, 3 Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore him. 4 When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God commanded him. 5 Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.
We also celebrate the birth of our child, baptism, First communion, marriage, House warming, etc with lot of spirit and delight. At these moments we need to pause and see if we are forgetting the Lord amidst our celebrations. Is it possible to do away with celebrations that do not include the one who gave us these moments to celebrate in the first place???? If not, then you will see our Lord who looks upon us with tearful eyes for having forgotten Him in our lives.
Genesis 21:6, 6 Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” Here we read that Sarah was filled with happiness and names her son Isaac, meaning he will laugh. When the Lord fill our lives with happiness it is natural to celebrate. Genesis 18:12, 12 So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?” There is huge difference between the laugh she had earlier and the one she has now. Earlier she was barren and discriminated in society. Now she is blessed and a way to show God’s glory. In the first laugh she laughed since she felt it was impossible to conceive in old age. The second laugh was the laugh of the impossible being true. Sarah did not forget the Lord amidst her celebrations. The first words she utters need to be noticed, “God has brought me laughter…” When the Lord blessed Sarah with a child, she gave all glory and adoration to the Lord. This is what we too should follow by example, the ways of our forefathers.
Acts 16:31, 31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” This promise was given to one particular person. The person who received the promise took the person who gave them the promise of the Lord into his house and prepared food for them. The whole household was blessed and received salvation.
Dear children of God, let us compare. How do we receive and react after receiving the promises/blessings from the Lord? Like our forefathers, Abraham and Sarah, or like the jailer in the book of Acts?? Do we receive with joy those whom we should receive and send away those who shouldn’t??? Isn’t this a seed for thought??? When we receive any promise/blessing from the Lord, shouldn’t we praise, glorify and adore Him?? Hence, now when you sit and pray, or otherwise, when we receive blessings from the Lord above, pause and think.
Jehovah Roi 