God's Friend

Mes #: 300303

File #: The Life Of Abraham

Text: Genesis 12-25

Title: God’s Friend

The Life of Abraham

March 30, 2003

Some have called me a friend of God. God has been so important to me, and I enjoy fellowship with Him and I like to be considered God’s friend. It has been such a journey since I first met the Living God. It is hard to believe that it has been nearly 100 years since I first Yahweh. I was 75 at the time – it seemed so long ago yet was just yesterday. We were living in Ur at the time and my father and I were called to leave Ur to go to a land that Yahweh He would show. Ur was such a busy place. It was the center of all that seemed important. We were a city of culture. People played instruments, wore jewels, and made statues. It was a highly sophisticated society. I wasn’t a worshipper of God at the time. In fact, we worshipped the moon god Nana. When I worshipped Nana at the central tower, it never seemed like it was much more than ritual. We all went through the motions. But when I heard the voice and the call of God for the first time, I knew that I had no choice but to listen. He spoke with such assurance. For the first time in my life I came alive inside. Although I didn’t know what or even where He was calling me, I knew that I needed to listen. I knew that His offer could not be resisted. So we left.

We came to Haran and it seemed nice enough, but I knew this was not where God had called us to go. But we settled there for a while. And, when my father died, we continued on. I could not wait to see this land that God was leading me to. God called me not only to this Promised Land, but also to a new way. He had said that my name would be great; he said that I would be blessed and that I would be a blessing to all peoples. I didn’t know what he meant at the time. He said the strangest thing. He said that He would make me into a great nation. I don’t know how that could be. After all my, wife Sarah and I could not have children. And certainly at our age, God wouldn’t give us a child. I didn’t know how this promise could be fulfilled. For 25 years I wrestled with that question.

I tried to figure this out in my own way. I wondered if God would fulfill this promise through my servant Eliezer. Sarah and I talked of this often, and it consumed my mind. Sarah finally had an idea I though might be God’s answer. Inside I knew it wasn’t right. But God wasn’t acting. Maybe God was waiting for me to make that first step. It was such folly I realize now, but at the time I was so desperate to have an heir. So Sarah thought she could build a family through her maidservant, Hagar. Hagar came to us when we were in Egypt. So I had a child with Hagar and at first there was great joy. But it was a joy that soon ended. It wasn’t long before fighting erupted between Sarah and Hagar. I knew it was wrong from the beginning, but God, He wasn’t acting fast enough. It grieved me to see young Ishmael caught in this midst of this wrong. It wasn’t his fault, yet he was suffering the consequences for my wrong actions. How I loved that boy, and yet felt hindered to show that love to him.

Even though I had doubted God and tried to do it my own way, He continued to reaffirm His commitment and covenant to me. He continued to reaffirm that promise that he had chosen me to be the father of a nation. At 100 years old, and my wife being 90, I wondered how God could do it. Yet I believed His word. When those three men came to visit, I knew something was different about them. The one spoke with such authority. Surly this was the Lord. Again I was told I would have a son through Sarah. Sarah didn’t believe them, yet we have both seen the power of God and I did believe them when they told me it would only be a year before Sarah would have a child. 25 long years I have waited, and finally it was happening.

I mentioned earlier my nephew Lot. He was the son of my brother, Haran. I loved him as my own and really did want to see him make the right choices in life. I taught him everything I know about life. I trained him to care for his animals and those under his charge. I trained him as best I could to be obedient to Yahweh. Yet he had to make his own choice whom he would serve and follow. I couldn’t choose for him. It hurt when my people and his people found themselves fighting in amongst each other. There wasn’t enough area for our herds to pasture together. It was inevitable that we should go our different directions. I left the choice to Lot. I told him to choose where he would go. If he chooses left then I would go right, if he chooses right, I would go left. I was hoping that he would not choose the plain of Jordan. There was so much wickedness there.