Divine Assurance and Human Doubt
Genesis 15:1–4 (NASB95)
1After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great.” 2Abram said, “O Lord God, what will You give me, since I am childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3And Abram said, “Since You have given no offspring to me, one born in my house is my heir.” 4Then behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “This man will not be your heir; but one who will come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir.”
God spoke to Abram and called Himself Abram’s shield and a very great reward. Abram had just experienced victory and blessing, but he still felt the weight of an unfulfilled promise. Lot had separated from him and chosen his own path. Abram now faced the reality that he had no heir of his own. He asked God what good His gifts would be if he remained childless. Abram named Eliezer of Damascus, a trusted servant, as the one who would inherit his estate. This was a common legal solution in the ancient world when a man had no biological children. Abram tried to solve the problem himself, using the customs of his day.
God answered Abram’s doubts with a clear promise. Eliezer would not be his heir. God assured Abram that his own son would inherit the promise. God’s word cut through Abram’s uncertainty and human plans. God’s faithfulness did not depend on Abram’s solutions. God would provide the heir. His promise remained firm, even when Abram couldn't see how it would come to pass.
We often face the same struggle. We know God’s promises, but we do not see immediate results. We are tempted to create our own solutions or rely on human wisdom. God calls us to trust Him, even when the way forward is unclear. His faithfulness is greater than our doubt. His solutions are greater than those of man. When we wait on God and trust His word, we find that He provides in ways we could never arrange for ourselves. The church must hold fast to God’s promises and resist the urge to take matters into our own hands.