Abraham and Sarah spent most of their lives roaming the land of God promise. They traveled like pilgrims from one end of it to the other, building altars, living in tents, raising cattle, and waiting for a son. After all, ho could Abraham father a great nation without at least one son?

“I will make an agreement between me and you and all your descendants from now on: I will be your God and the God of all your descendants. You live in the land of Canaan now as a stranger, but I will give you and your descendants all this land forever. And I will be the God of your descendants.” GENESIS 17:7-8 Abraham felt sure that God was able to do what he had promised. So, “God accepted Abraham’s faith, and that faith made him right with God.” ROMANS 4:21-22

    God renewed his promise to Abraham in the form of a covenant-sealed agreement. Abraham’s descendants would be as numerous as the stars of heaven, and their land would include everything between the Nile River in Egypt and the Euphrates River in Babylon. As important as the land was, the most important part of the covenant was the promised relationship. God would be Abraham’s God and the God of Abraham descendants. Abraham was to keep himself faithful to God as were his descendants.

    With this promise to Abraham, the Almighty committed himself to an extraordinary, heart-to-heart relationship with one of his creations. For Abraham, God was as close as a friend but with the guidance and perspective of a father. The relationship between God and Abraham was the only part of God’s promise that was completely fulfilled in Abraham’s lifetime.

Reflection: God not only became the God of Abraham and his descendants, he became Abraham’s friend. This was an unprecedented relationship. Friendship is difficult enough between equals but unheard of between creature and creator.

    With unshakable promises, God still covenants to have a relationship with his creatures. And he demands the same response from us that he required of Abraham—trust.