In the opening of Genesis 17, we are introduced to the name El Shadday, and he tells Abram, “I am El Shadday. Live in my presence with integrity.” God goes on to tell Abram of his promise to make him the father of many nations and then to change his and Sarai’s names to Abraham and Sarah.
In verse 17, we see where Abraham bowed his face to the ground and laughed and thought, “Can a son be born to a hundred-year-old man and a ninety-year-old woman?” Then Abraham asked Elohim, “Why not let Ishmael be my heir?”
Elohim said, “No, your heir will come through Sarah, and you will name him Isaac” (He laughs).”
God had a plan. And there was nothing that was going to thwart His plan.
El Shadday is God Almighty, our covenant maker and keeper.
There are times when we get anxious and impatient, so we don’t wait on God’s timing. We want to rush the process, or we don’t trust that God is going to see it through as He told us he would.
Oddly enough, one of the hardest verses for Christians to believe is not the birth to a virgin or even the resurrection of Christ. It is the promise found in 1 Corinthians 10:13. This verse is one of the most misinterpreted verses that I have heard. It says, “There isn’t any temptation that you have experienced which is unusual for humans. God, who faithfully keeps his promises, will not allow you to be tempted beyond your power to resist. But when you are tempted, he will also give you the ability to endure the temptation as your way of escape.”
(What is normally said is, “God won’t give you more than you can handle.” That is not what that verse says. Read it again.)
God will not allow you to be tempted beyond your power to resist. So that bar of chocolate calling your name as a late-night snack… tell it it has the wrong number.
Back to God’s plan. I had an ah-ha moment in the early hours this morning. I excitedly shared Christ’s lineage yesterday and how Luke traced it back to Abraham. In that lineage, we see the name Perez, son of Judah. (Luke 3:33).
Go back to Genesis 49:8-12.
Read Jacob’s (Israel) blessing to his son Judah. Does this sound like someone you know? Perhaps the Lion of Judah?
Now go further back to Genesis 38 and read the whole chapter.
As you can read, Judah slept with his daughter-in-law. His first two sons, God was not pleased with, and took their lives. Now, as per the custom, if a son dies, the next son takes the now-widowed sister-in-law as his wife. Since Judah’s 3rd son was too young, he told Tamar to go back to her family until he was grown. But Judah assumed that Tamar was the reason that his first two sons died, so he didn’t tell her when his third son was ready. She caught on, tricked Judah, slept with him, and got pregnant with twins. Perez was one of those twins.
(What a tangled web we weave when we practice to conceive.)
Luke 3:33, the lineage of Christ, Perez, son of Judah.
I share this to point out that the lineage of Christ is full of impatient people who try to take matters into their own hands and attempt to do things their own way.
Let this bring you comfort that no matter how badly you mess up, you are not going to mess up El Shadday’s plan for you as long as you continue to seek him.
Ask El Shadday to instill in you the faith to believe in his promises and give you the patience to wait on him until the time is right.
Have a great day with Jesus!
Life on E Street 