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Abraham: a successful father

Genesis 17
1. When Abram was ninety-nine years old, God appeared to him and told him, "I am the Almighty; obey me and live as you should.
2. I will prepare a contract between us, guaranteeing to make you into a mighty nation. In fact you shall be the father of not only one nation, but a multitude of nations!" Abram fell face downward in the dust as God talked with him.
LB

At this time in Abram's life, God was restating His promises to Abram.
It had been some years since God had first announced His plans for Abram and God was now reassuring Abram that He had not changed His mind or forgotten what He had promised.

Note Abram's response:
Abram fell face downward in the dust as God talked with him.

This is the sign of total surrender. The first time God spoke to Abram about the future, we are not told that Abram signalled His surrender to God in any other way, except that he took his family and began to carry out God's directive.

By this time, however, his father has died and his nephew has left him and God's words have had time to sink into him and change his attitude.
Abram is ready for a total surrender to God.

Successful fathers are those who have surrendered fully to God and His purpose.
Successful fathers are those to whom God can make a life-long promise.

Abram was a father God could use to be an example, not just to one family, but to a multitude of nations.

Prayer:
Father, thank You that You are working in me to bring me to the place of total surrender to You.
Thank You for making a long-term contract in the blood of Jesus Christ for my sins to be forgiven and for Your purpose to be fulfilled through my living in the earth.
Thank You for Your good purpose towards me,
in Jesus' name,
Amen.