A long time ago, there lived a man named Abraham. Abraham was a good man who loved God. One day, God spoke to Abraham. He said, “Leave your country and your relatives and go to a country that I will show you.” That was a big request, because Abraham didn’t know exactly where he was going. But he trusted God.
So Abraham and his wife Sarah packed their things. Together with their servants and animals, they set off. They walked for many days through the desert to a place that God would show them. God promised Abraham: “I will make you a great people, and I will bless you!”
For many years, Abraham and Sarah lived in this foreign land. One evening, God said to Abraham, “Look up at the stars in the sky. Can you count them? So many will be your descendants!” Abraham was very amazed, for he and Sarah had no children, and they were both very old. But Abraham believed in God’s promise.
God made another great promise to Abraham. God said to him, “You shall no longer be called Abram, but Abraham, for you shall become the father of many nations.” God promised Abraham that Sarah would have a son and that this son would give rise to many people who love God.
Sara could hardly believe it when she heard this, because she was already old. But Abraham continued to trust in God. And just as God had promised, Abraham and Sarah eventually had a son. They called him Isaac. Abraham was so happy that God had kept all His promises. He knew that God is good and that He always fulfills His promises.
Message of history
God keeps His promises, and if we trust Him, He leads us on wonderful paths.
Bible passage
The stories in which Abraham trusts God are found in chapters 12, 15 and 17 of Genesis. Here are the relevant passages from the Schlachter 2000:
Genesis 12:1-4:
“And the Lord said to Abram, ‘Go out of your land, and out of your kindred, and out of your father’s house, to the land that I will show you. And I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and magnify your name, and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and those who curse you I will curse; and in you shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Then Abram went out, as the Lord had said to him, and Lot went with him; But Abram was 75 years old when he left Haran.”
Genesis 15:1-6:
“After these events, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Abram.’ I am your shield and your very great reward. Then Abram said, “Lord, Lord, what will you give me?” I am going away childless, and the heir to my house is this Eliëser of Damascus! And Abram went on to say, “Behold, you have not given me seed; and behold, one of the servants of my house will be my inheritance. But behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, ‘This shall not be your inheritance, but he who shall proceed from your body shall be your heir.’ And he brought him out and said, “Look up to heaven and count the stars, if you can count them.” And he said to him, “This is how your seed shall be.” And Abram believed the Lord, and He counted it to him as righteousness.”
Genesis 17:1-8:
“When Abram was 99 years old, the Lord appeared to him and said to him, ‘I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless! And I will make my covenant between me and you, and I will multiply you exceedingly. Then Abram fell on his face. And God continued to speak to him, saying, “Behold, I have my covenant with you, and you shall become a father of many nations.” Therefore you shall no longer be called Abram, but Abraham shall be your name; for I have made you the father of many nations. And I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you nations, and kings shall descend from you. And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your descendants from generation to generation, as an everlasting covenant to be God to you and your seed after you. And I will give you and your seed after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.”
