And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after
thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan,
for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. –Genesis
17:8 (KJV)
Next month my family and I will have been living
here in Bristol, Virginia for 17 years. This also marks the same
number of years of my tenure as pastor of East Bristol Baptist.
We feel extremely blessed to have enjoyed such a long ministry in the
same church. Pastors often move from place to place, yet God has
allowed us to settle in the community and make this our home.
From the time we arrived we never felt like strangers. If you
have ever moved to a new location, you understand the uncertainty of
it all. You have to learn your way around the area, get used to
new people, and your children are for a while the “new kids”
in the school, which can be difficult for them. However, we never
felt like strangers here. Having been here for so many years now,
people treat as if we were from this area.
The Word of God says that Abraham was a stranger
in the land of Canaan. He traveled among people he did not know
in a land not his own as he waited for the fulfillment of God’s promise.
The Lord allowed Abraham a look into a time when he would dwell in the
land not as a stranger, but as a welcome resident. Yet, until
this time came, Abraham would have to trust God completely in the midst
of what seemed impossible. God appeared to Abraham and instructed
him to “Walk before me and be thou perfect (Genesis 17:1).” At
a time when many men might be contemplating setting down (Abraham was
99 years old), God was telling him that the time of service and faithfulness
was in full force. Retirement was a long way off for Abraham.
Eventually, the promise of God happened. A
year later, when Abraham was 100 years old and his wife Sarah was 99
a child was born to them. Sarah had chuckled over what the angel
had said, and we can hardly blame her, but in the end she gave birth
in her old age to a healthy baby boy whom they named Isaac. The
name means in Hebrew, “he laughs.” Sarah’s attitude was that
she might as laugh with
joy, and all who heard of it would laugh and rejoice with her.
I am trying to picture myself becoming a father again at the age of
100 and my wife at 99. Yes, I suppose all you could do at that
point is laugh.
God is faithful my friends. He welcomes us
into His blessings and makes us vital to His plan and purposes.
We are not strangers in God’s kingdom, but instead children.
Moreover, if we are God’s children, we are heir to the promises of
God.
Walk forward in faith today and claim the blessed
promises of God. Do not be afraid, for God is always faithful.
God bless you today.
