This week we are looking at Genesis 15 and the remarkable interaction between the God and His servant Abraham. Fresh off of a victorious military excursion, Abraham receives word from the LORD that he would be blessed and receives again a fresh declaration of God’s intention to provide Abraham with the land of promise and the heir (son) of promise.
But Abraham’s response isn’t an immediate, “Hallelujah, Praise be the Lord!” Instead, he asks “how shall these things be?”
What stands out here is that God is listening.
The God of promise is hearing the complaint of Abram. And, mercifully, there's no wrathful entry of God rebuking Abram for questioning Him. There's no appearance in fury to confront this man who challenges and questions the plans of God! There's a most important lesson unfolding here – a lesson which is on display in the psalms in a most particular way as the servants of the Lord later recorded them. The God who speaks to us will also heed our responses! He will heed and listen to our complaints and will listen as we bring our needs to him and ask him the questions that perplex us.
God hears you when you ask God why certain things must trouble you. For example, you might ask God why certain sins must cling to you or why certain hardships have come upon you in this life. We are a complaining people – and in his mercy, the God of promise listens to us and our children.
He who sits in the heavens listens with love and tender mercy to us, His children!
Consider this: Psalm 2 makes clear, the Lord sits and listens to the wicked as they plot and he laughs at their schemes.
But it is very different for those who believe – for those who place their trust in God but still struggle to know what God is doing in any particular time or circumstance. He listens and responds gently!
Doesn't that resonate?
Doesn't that fill you with a thankfulness for what God is doing and how He controls all things?
Know, therefore, that you can properly bring your needs – your concerns – even your complaints to him in prayer – to ask God, as Abram does, “why do you promise rewards when I don't have anyone to share it with when I die?”
Go to the Lord in humility and bring your needs to him with honesty. For your God listens! The God of heaven and earth hears when His people pray!
And he responds. Halleljuah!