Big Daddy

I'm reading through Genesis, in particular the story of Abraham as I will be preahing it from January to April.  It's funny because I can't stop reading.  I know I'm only preaching part of the story this week but I keep finding myself racing ahead to see how God shows his faithfulness and how Abraham grows on his physical and spiritual journey.  The picture above captures the key aspect of Abraham's story.  Basically Abraham is this guy without hope.  His father and brother have died.  Their plan to move to Canaan ends for some reason, and even though Abram has a lot of stuff he has no future because his wife is barren.  The Bible says, Now Sarai was barren; she had no children.  Either the Bible is being repettively redundant or it's trying to emphasis the severity of this situation.  She was barren she couldn't have any freaking kids.  Is how I might phrase it.  Anyway the point is Abram (whose name mean father) can't have any kids.  There is no future for his family. All his stuff will go to some punk kid (Lot or later we are told a servant).  It's all over for his family line.
That's where God steps in and gives him a new hope and a new vision. He says, Abram with me their is a future.  With me there is a life that you can't even imagine.  You'll be famous, and wealthy and people thousands of years later will be reading and talking about you, and your kids.  I'm going to change your name from an ironic joke. Abram= daddy when you can't have kids.  To something meaningful  Abraham= father of multitudes and have it be a reality.  I'm gonna change your name from Daddy to Big Daddy. (thanks Leo Schuster)  Just trust me.

Trust. That's the hard part Abraham goes through victories and struggles as he waits on God, as he learns faith and trust in the God who promises more than we could ever dream and then gives it to us, but not necessarily in the timeframe we were hoping for.  That's the God I seek to follow, and as I read this story I'm encouraged to stay on schedule to stay on the path, but also reminded that when I screw up God is willing to step in to straighten me and the situation out.  I'm excited about preaching Abraham's story, but more excited about living my own, because I know that there will be so many unexpected twists and turns and I'll get freaked out and scared and sad and have doubts.  BUT I know through it all God is going to work something amazing through all the times I screw up.  So let's go, let's do this, let's live this life, let's screw things up so that God can straighten me out and so that I can grow into a person of deep faith who eventually gets it.  Who eventually lives a life that is a blessing to all people.