27.09.2022
IBC Admin
“When Abram was ninety-nine years old the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, that I may make my covenant between me and you and may multiply you greatly.’ Then Abram fell on his face. And God said to him, 'Behold, my coveant is with you and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham.”
Genesis 17:1-5
In Genesis 17:1, God reminds Abram of who He is, God Almighty, which is the Hebrew El Shaddai. One interpretation for El Shaddai is God provides. The root word Shad comes from the idea of a mother providing milk for her children. As God led Abram and his sons Isaac and Jacob He would often remind them that the vision that He called them to would be based on His provision, not their own resources.
Year’s latter when Abram’s grandson Jacob also went through a crisis of faith, he had such a falling out with his brother Esau that he had to literally flee for his life out of the promised land, Canaan. On his journey God visited him with a vision with a reminder of God's vision of how through him a great nation would come. A after receiving it listen to how Jacob responded: “If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father’s house then the Lord will be my God…” (Gen 28:20-22)
You find throughout the Bible man’s need to be reminded that God is sufficient in resources and that He will always give us what we need to accomplish His purposes. Jesus reminded us, “I am the bread of life, I am the light of the world, I am the true vine…” All of these were snapshots from God of his ability to provide the necessary resources for the vision He desires to accomplish through us and within us.
In Peter’s second letter to the churches, he put it this way… “His Divine power has given us everything we need for life…” (II Peter 1:4) A reminder of God’s vision and purpose for our lives must begin with a reminder of God’s sufficiency and ability to bring it to pass. And so God addresses Abram, I am God Almighty, one who provides.
Let us remember in the midst of our fears and anxieties that God is El Shaddai, our great provider. Then instead of worry we wait with our eyes on Him for the provision of our needs and will say Amen to that great word from Isaiah, “The Lord will keep in perfect peace he whose eyes are on Him.” (Is 26:1)