His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. – 2 Peter 1:3

Today's Scripture Reading (June 18, 2024): 2 Peter 1

How do I believe in something that I can't quantify, something that I can't hold in my hand? Isn't that what this verse says? Peter says I have everything I need (not want) for life and godliness because of His power. I can't disagree with the verse. He has always seemed to come through when I need him, but my problem is that I want it in the bank. I want to plan it out. And God's divine power is out of my control. 

I love the story of Abraham. God calls him out of his home to move around the Fertile Crescent to make his home in a new place. God calls Abraham away from what is familiar and into the unknown with nothing more than a promise that he will be with him.

I am a little different, but one of the things that has always bothered me about the story of Abraham is that God calls him, gives him his inheritance, and then Abraham leaves. God shows him the place that he will give to his descendants, and Abraham says, "Thanks God," and then goes to Egypt. If God showed me a place and said, "Garry, look, this is for you," my enemies would have to drag me out of that place, kicking and screaming. It's almost like God said to Abraham, "Abraham, lift up your eyes. This is all yours." And Abraham replies, "Cool, let me get together with some of my lieutenants and we'll see how we can make this a reality."

Abraham's disease is the first thing I have to overcome in my own unbelief. God's power, not my efforts, makes what I need a reality in my life. The solution to my unbelief is God's Power. If I can't believe in God's power, I can't believe in God's reality.

A later incident makes this clear. God promises Abraham: You will become the Father of a great nation through my power. Abraham accepts God's promise and then tries to make it happen. (Let me get together with my people and work this out.)  Sarah and Abraham decide that Abraham will sleep with her maidservant, and the resulting child will be theirs together. It was a very reasoned response for that time.

So, Hagar, the maidservant, becomes pregnant and brings forth a child who they call Ishmael. And God comes down to Abraham and says, "Good effort, but that wasn't what I meant. I will make you the Father of a Kingdom you can't plan for. Sarah is going to have a child."

But Abraham replies, "But Sarah's old." (Or, God, that is impossible.)

God tells Abraham, "This is my power, not yours. You can't do it, but I can." Sarah became pregnant and brought forth a son, who they called Isaac. But it is scary to look at the effects of Abraham doubting God's power. A few generations after the births of Ishmael and Isaac, a descendant of Isaac, Joseph, is sold into slavery in Egypt by Ishmaelites, the descendants of Ishmael.

Psalm 83 talks about God's people in conflict with the Ishmaelites. The Middle East is still in conflict because Abraham doubted God's divine power. The Kingdom of Isaac, Israel, and the Kingdom of Ishmael, Islam, still vie for power. It is a problem that started because Abraham forgot that everything he needed started with God's power.

And that is still true. Little can be achieved through our power, and everything we need can be received through the power of God, who works through his people. 

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 2 Peter 2