A Master's Faith

We are being given some faith-building food, trust-strengthening words and peace-engendering treats, which I know have within them power to change any languishing, fear-tormented and anxious mind and heart.

I subscribe to the fact that not one person can gainsay the characteristics about Abraham. Indeed, he was a man of: -

Unquantifiable Strength – It took strength, God given strength, pure, unadulterated, heaven-given faith, on Abraham’s part. Not even the greatest amount of human strength could accomplish this. God told this man to sacrifice his son, his one and only heir and he obeyed without grumbling. By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned. Hebrews 11: 17 - 18

Unmatched Courage - It took courage, loads of courage, for Abraham to hear God and do as He said, not knowing where he was going. By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. Hebrews 11: 8

Unlimited Appointing – Abraham received God’s appointing to be the father of many nations, too numerous to count. God said to him in no muffled and unclear tones, this promise. Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. Genesis 17: 3 – 4. How many, is many? Listen to how God makes the quantity of His unlimited giving known to His servant. God took Abram outside and showed him the stars. Look up at the heavens and count the stars - if indeed you can count them. Then he said to him, so shall your offspring be. Genesis 15: 5b.

Unstoppable Daring – As children we loved to sing this chorus, of a great hymn written by P. Bliss in the eighteen hundreds. The Hymn is, Dare to be a Daniel.

Dare to be a Daniel,

Dare to stand alone,

Dare to have a purpose firm!

Dare to make it known.

Indeed, Daniel is a perfect example of a servant of God who dared to be God’s servant in the midst of even life-threatening times. This daring is also vividly evidenced in Abraham, God’s servant, even in his declining years. As this man of God got older, and his body grew weaker, his faith grew stronger. There was no waning in faith, no giving up, no becoming less faithful or even becoming less mindful in his walk with his God and Master.

If the thigh does represent the strength of a person, then surely, this oath is being taken under the spiritual condition of the thigh and not its physical condition. Abraham was now old and well advanced in years, and the LORD had blessed him in every way. Genesis 24: 1. Surely, as an old man, his thighs must be weak, the weakest they have ever been in his life. However, it is at this stage that he dares to have his trusted servant, one who is the longest serving servant in his household, his chief servant, swear an oath, in the Name of his God.

Who is his God? He is Abraham’s Lord and Master, who has blessed him in every way. Is this not daring, I ask you? Are there not some personal questions being formed in your mind? Aren’t some of us being made uncomfortable in our comfortable states of mind?