Father Abraham -

'...and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness"- and he was called a friend of God.'

-James 2:23

'Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation.'

-Hebrews 11:1-2

"Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad."

-John 8:56

Sarah, take me by my arm

Tomorrow we are Canaan bound

Where westward sails the golden sun

And Hebron's hills are amber crowned

So bid your troubled heart be still

The grass, they say, is soft and green

The trees are tall and honey-filled

So, Sarah, come and walk with me

Like the stars across the heavens flung

Like water in the desert sprung

Like the grains of sand, our many sons

Oh, Sarah, fair and barren one

Come to Canaan, come

I trembled at the voice of God

A voice of love and thunder deep

With love He means to save us all

And Love has chosen you and me

Long after we are dead and gone

A thousand years our tale be sung

How faith compelled and bore us on

How barren Sarah bore a son

So come to Canaan, come

Where westward sails the golden sun

And Hebron's hills are amber crowned

Oh, Sarah, take me by my arm

Tomorrow we are Canaan bound

-Andrew Peterson, Canaan Bound from the album, Love and Thunder

Imagine the life of Abraham. Born into a pagan home. He began married life with a barren wife and every indication was that he would have no son to carry on his name. His answer was to take matters into his own hands. Perhaps you remember that little episode with Hagar? The fact of the matter is that Abraham was no stellar example. He stumbled in many ways. The difference was God's call to him. His faith wavered at times, but Abraham trusted in the unwavering character of God. Even in his weakness and failure he receives the monicker, 'friend of God'. We still talk about Abraham, because we're a lot like him. On our best days we fail miserably, but our hope is in our unwavering God. As the sons and daughters of Abraham we believe God, not we believe in God. Our hope is in the God who makes the barren conceive, who raises the dead, and who makes the foulest clean. We believe God. We believe that Christ was end of Abraham's belief, and that Christ is the end of our belief. Abraham saw dimly, we see with clarity. In Ian Duguid's words, '…we live, like Abraham, by faith - the faith of those who know that the light at the end of the tunnel is the welcoming presence of Jesus, leading us on to our new home.' (The Gospel According to the Old Testament, p. 160) In this life we'll stumble in in many ways, but our hope is not in ourselves… our hope is in the God of Abraham.

-DJM