When Abram prostrated himself, God spoke to him:
“My covenant with you is this:
you are to become the father of a host of nations.
No longer shall you be called Abram;
your name shall be Abraham,
for I am making you the father of a host of nations.
Gen 17:3-5
God Almighty chose Abram, by revealing Himself to him, and giving him a new name.
With the new name – from Abram to Abraham – came a promise from God, to make him the father of many nations.
As I write this, I’m beginning to ponder, why did God choose Abraham?
If we think about it further, why did God choose Peter – changing his name from Simon to Peter?
Was it because of anything, in particular, they had done or said?
Or were they called because God saw some other qualities in them?
We would never know, perhaps in this life.
I smile as I recall now a narration from C.S. Lewis’ novel: The Horse and His Boy.
In the dialogue between the Lion Aslan (who using Christian literary interpretation represented Jesus as the Lion of Judah), and the Boy who was the main character in the story, the Lion makes it clear that he reveals to each person his own story.
Jesus replied to Peter, to simply follow him and not be concerned about His will for John.
I smile because I sense the LORD saying that to me now.
“What is it with you, why I chose Abraham or Peter?”
My response is “LORD, I was simply curious.”
To which He responds, “Rather than be curious, I need you to be faithful. Come follow me, and I will reveal my path for your life”.
How awesome is our God?
In His calling to Abraham, Moses, David, Mary, Joseph, Peter, His Apostles, Paul as recorded in scriptures, He is simply showing us the path that leads to life as we humble ourselves and follow His call.
Thanks be to God for the faith of our father Abraham that set the path for us all to follow in humility, simplicity and love.
Prayer
Dear LORD Jesus, I lay humbly at Your feet today and I simply gaze into Your loving eyes.
Who am I LORD that You have loved me so – and called me so?
You’ve done it for Your own Namesake to use me to spread forth Your Gospel as a child of Your Kingdom.
For this is what it means through my baptism in You and the Father and the Holy Spirit, that I have become part of,
Blessed be Your Holy Name forever, LORD God my King.
Thank You for calling and establishing Your covenant with our Father Abraham.
And now, yes LORD, as I write, I see You did it for Your Namesake.
Yes, You chose him to establish the precedent of Your coming into this world.
And so also all those listed in this reflection, You ordained them to establish Your Kingdom reign on earth.
Blessed be Your omnipotent Wisdom both now and forevermore.
Amen.
Always & Forever,
To the Lamb,
With all my love.
02 Apr 2020