Abram's Earthly Offspring 

The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, “Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward, for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever.  I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also can be counted.  Arise, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I will give it to you.” (Genesis 13: 14 to 17) 

This was the second time that God gave Abram the blessing.   It's like the first one but more detailed and specific.  It elaborated the mass of the offspring and the vast of the land.  However, it wasn't made until Abram's nephew Lot had parted with him.  That reminds us that God's will is specific.  When God told Abram to leave his country, his people and his father's household, He meant it.  So, when Abram took Lot with him, he didn't meet God's request completely.  That's why God didn't give a specific blessing to Abram.  But God didn't forsake him either.  As a matter of fact, Abram wasn't very faithful at first either.  When the famine came, he went down to Egypt and intended to live there for a while.  He also pretended his wife Sarah to be his sister so that people won't kill him for his wife's sake.   

However, God didn't withdraw or diminish His blessing.  When Abram's mind caught up with God's will, God would not hesitate to give more blessing to the one who is willing to live according to His will.   

Abram didn't get called the father of the faith in one day.  He didn't achieve his faith without mistakes and hardships.  However, God has all the patience in the whole universe if we don't give up.  Compared to Abram, we are in better shape already.  He was called out by God when he was 75 years old.  He had no idea what his journey would be like.  For us, at least we have the Bible to teach us, the Holy Spirit to guide us.  Most importantly, we have Jesus Christ to be our guarantor before God.  So, we can call God our Father in heaven without shame just like Paul said in the Book of Romans. 

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”  The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,  and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. (Romans 8: 14 to 17) 

What a wonderful and assured blessing.  Emmanuel. 

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