By Collin Ross
Scripture Reading: Genesis 12:1-5, Genesis 21:1-5, Genesis 22:15-18, Galatians 3:7-9, Galatians 3:14-16
The greater the gift, the harder it is to wait. My grandmother was an extraordinary gift-giver. At Christmastime, it took all my strength to wait and not rip into that wrapped present with the shiny bow on top. When you know the gift is going to be incredible, waiting to receive it can be challenging.
That’s how I feel reading this passage in Genesis 12. Here we are at the very beginning of the story, and already we see a glorious promise from God: Through the lineage of Abram, through his descendent, who we know would be Jesus of Nazareth, God would pour out His blessing on all people and bring them back into perfect relationship with Himself. “I will bless those who bless you, I will curse anyone who treats you with contempt, and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:3). This promise is like that gift under the tree that I want so desperately to open.
I am struck by the initiative of God in this promise to Abram. The repetition of the word I is cause for celebration. God says, “I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great” (v.2). Growing up in team sports, I often heard people say, “There is no ‘i’ in ‘team.’” Coaches would use this phrase to relay the truth that in sports, greatness can only be achieved if everyone does their part and brings their best effort to the game. But importantly, that is not how God works! This great promise of worldwide blessing is not a team sport. God will do it Himself for us. It is God’s effort and strength and determination that brings this gift into existence, not ours. What a relief! We can celebrate that this extraordinary gift is not dependent on us at all. We cannot ruin it or delay it, for God alone will make it happen.
We are simply called to wait. But make no mistake, our waiting for God is not idle. Yes, it is true that God’s promise to Abram was entirely of His own initiative—something for Abram to receive and trust in but not earn. However, Abram was not called to wait idly by while God brought His word to pass. No, the very first words recorded of God speaking to Abram were God telling Abram to go. Likewise, while we wait for Jesus to return and bring to completion God’s plan for worldwide blessing, we are called to go. We are called to follow in the way of Jesus and to continue in the kind of life that He taught and lived—a life of love, grace, and peace. This is what waiting for God’s promise looks like: faithfully trusting in the Lord, walking in His ways as we go.
Written by Collin Ross
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