Reflection by Pat Edmonds, March 17, 2019
Readings: The Story of Abraham & Sarah – Genesis 15:1-12
Have you noticed the advertisement for a new network on television – it is one devoted entirely to reality shows! Personally I don’t watch any so-called reality shows. Why do I refuse to watch them? Because I resent the use of the word “reality” for situations that are so far from being real! Is it real to have 10 beautiful women from around the world compete for the attention and love of one man who may or may not be a millionaire? Or is someone being dragged through a muddy, leech-infested swamp in the presence of a full camera crew an example of survival? Or the latest one where engaged couples are put in a situation where they may be tempted to change their mind or be unfaithful. I sincerely hope not!
Reality for most of us is much more mundane. Reality is caring for an ailing spouse or parent day in and day out because of love. Reality is getting up and going to work to support a family and loved ones when you don’t have a million dollars in the bank. Reality is babysitting a grandchild whose parents or parent is going through a very difficult time. Reality is getting out of bed every day even when it seems more tempting to lie there and dwell on the aches and pains of advancing years. Reality is facing each new day with renewed hope and a positive attitude. Reality is using our time, talents and treasure to help others less fortunate. These are the real actions of real people. These are the people we should be watching as they are the role models who help us live our own lives in a meaningful way.
As for reality shows – I like the one recorded in the book of Genesis – the one about Abram and Sarai. This Biblical story would make a really good reality television show.
Abram says, “ Sari, God has just spoken to me. God is going to carry out a great mission through us! He is going to create a new nation through us! We are going to start a whole line of God’s people! We are going to become part of history!” Can’t you just hear Sari, no spring chicken herself, saying “Abram. You must be dreaming! I didn’t hear anything! It’s bad enough you have dreams in bed, but now you’re daydreaming as well!”
But Abram insists, “No Sari, God is going to create a famous line of His people through us!”
“Abram,” says Sari, “get real. Have a good look at us! We’re old, really old and we’ve never had any children, let alone started a new race of God’s followers! How can this possibly be? You must be crazy!”
Then Abram tells Sari that God has promised she will become pregnant! – at her age, God must be kidding! Then they both fall down laughing at how unreal that would be! I’m not sure if I would have laughed had I been Sari. Looking after babies was hard work when I was 30, but now? No, thank you! A day or two with my young grandchildren and I’m totally exhausted. But we know the rest of the story, in due time a son was born. They called him Isaac, which means laughter. And God’s promise to Abram and his descendants was fulfilled.
As I was preparing today’s message and checking the suggested lectionary passages I realized that in all 3 cycles – A, B, and C – the story of Abraham and God’s promises appears. Although the Bible is full of stories about promises, few Biblical stories appear in all 3 cycles of the Common Lectionary. To me this underlines the importance of the relationship between Abraham and God.
In today’s passage from Genesis, God reiterates his promises to Abram told first in Chapter 12 of this book. In the intervening chapters of the saga, many adventures happen to Abram and his wife Sari and time marches on.
God decides it is time to remind this elderly couple of his promises. God even seals the covenant this time by giving them both new names : Abraham and Sarah. For both Abraham and Sarah, the name change is a sign of God’s presence in their lives
God reminds Abraham of several promises: 1. Abraham will be the father of many nations. 2. God will make him very fruitful. 3. God will make nations of Abraham’s descendants and kings will come from them. 4. He will be their God and the God of all Abraham’s descendants. 5. The whole land of Canaan will belong to Abraham and his descendants forever. The promises of God continue to be passed on from generation to generation. “All the ends of the earth” and “all the families of the nations” shall worship God. The promises of God truly change the world for all time.
Of the 10 or so times I have preached on the story of Abraham and Sarah, and it is one of my favorites, my thoughts have always dwelt on the promises of God. But today I want us to look at a different perspective of this familiar story – that of faith and trust. We know God’s promises are true. They are not dependent on weather, surroundings or changing societal times. But God’s promises can only be fulfilled if we have faith and trust God. The promises come from God but in order for their fulfillment to take place we must trust God.
When I was young my mother often told me. “Seeing is believing!” In other words don’t tell me what you are going to do, do it and then show me! I guess she was trying to teach me not to make idle talk or empty promises and she was right. But God does expect us to place our trust in things that cannot be seen. We are asked to stake everything, our very lives, on something that no one can touch or see, something not described, something invisible. There is lots of evidence that God exists and does what He says He does. The Bible is full of people like Abraham and Moses and Noah who through their trust in God accomplished marvelous things. We need only look around us at the beautiful world God has created to believe in God’s awesome power and love. The other evidence we have that our trust is grounded in reality is the long list of witnesses prepared to testify about how their trust in God has changed their lives. Even more evidence is revealed when we experience other people helping those in need, loving everyone they meet, treating all peoples with love and kindness – in other words living out their life because they trust in God.
Any covenant is two-sided. God promised but Abraham had to have faith and trust in God. We also, as twenty-first century Christians, must trust in God. Trust is not something we might acquire and store away for a time when it is needed. Trust in God is more like manna that is reclaimed each day. Each day there are new questions, new uncertainties, and fears. Each day we are invited to reclaim our covenant with God and journey forth in faith. Our faith provides a vision for a future church, a church without boundaries, a table where people of all ages, races, colors and classes, gather to worship God in love and peace. Through our faith, we receive God’s grace to build a church community that embraces the non-traditional vision of our younger members, cherishes the traditions of our past and prepares a place for all. When we fall short in our faith, God steps in because when our faith fails, God remains faithful. God cares about our FAITH! God cares about whether we believe and trust in Him even though God cannot be seen. God cares that we are trying to be faithful and answer the call even if we’re not sure exactly what that call is. Like Abraham and Sarah we are asked to have the kind of FAITH that trusts what we CANNOT see.
In Africa there is a rather small deer called the impala. This amazing little animal can jump over ten feet high and cover the distance of greater than 30 feet in one jump. Yet surprisingly these creatures can be kept contained in a zoo behind a wall no higher than 3 feet tall. Why? Because the impala will not jump if they cannot see where their feet will land. So they stay behind the 3 foot wall.
Recently I heard a speaker describe FAITH as “stepping into the dark and then taking yet another step”. This is what God asks us to do. God asks each one of us to go on a journey of FAITH – to listen to what we are being asked to do. Then God asks us to TRUST as Abraham did even though we cannot always see where God is leading us. We are asked to trust that God knows the right path for us and will be there leading us every step of the way. We are not to be like the impala. We are to obey God and take a leap of FAITH trusting in the God of our fathers who lead Abraham and Noah and many others. Sometimes the journey may be difficult, but we are to place our trust in God.
FAITH and trust are intricately woven together. Faith is not so much about knowledge as it is about action. By faith Abraham “set out”, which is to say he moved, he took action, he did something with his life. He believed God’s promises and trusted God. This does not mean he had some doubts. I am sure Abraham had many doubts during this long journey – particularly the one about he and Sarah becoming parents a ripe old age. But still Abraham had faith and trusted that God would do as promised.
In our day FAITH is often thought of as something we acquire through study and the gathering of information. Although it is true that learning and studying are important, FAITH in God and trust in his promises are more important for daily living. With trust we can look toward the future. From FAITH comes hope, and if there is just one calorie of hope, it is enough to nourish life in the anticipation of unseen tomorrows.
This year as members of the United Church of Canada we are being asked to step out in faith and trust God. We are asked to be people of action: people who are risk-takers; a community of faith ready to journey where God leads us; people who dare to share the Good News with everyone we meet; people ready and willing to share God’s great love with the world. We are to trust the wisdom and work of our members who saw a new vision for our denomination. We are dared to journey into the future trusting in the God who led Abraham in the past, who is with us here in this time and place and the God who will be with us forever.
The promises of God do not change over time, however they exist in the context of faith, love, trust and commitment. God never reneges on his promises. God never goes back on his word, but God expects our trust and commitment in return. God says, “If you love me, you will obey my commandments.” And Jesus says, “Believe in God and believe also in me; Love one another as I have loved you.”
God renewed his covenant with Abraham and even renamed him. God promised to be the God of Abraham and all his descendants. We are descendants of Abraham. We are God’s people. God’s covenant with Abraham is still valid today. Are we able to trust in this promise by living lives of love, hope and service to others? God expects us to understand the true meaning of promise and commitment, to do our best, to be true to ourselves and others, to help others, to take care of the beautiful world God has created and to trust as Abraham did. We must trust in God’s promises and try our best to live up to the promises we make regardless of what others around us say or do. When we find this difficult we can call on God for help and forgiveness. Thanks be to God for his never-ending love and sure promises