#EaglesDevotional - WALKING CONTRADICTIONS

"Neither shall your name any more be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham;  for a father of many nations have I made you. " (Genesis 17:5)

In the twelfth chapter of the book of Genesis, God promised Abram many great things He will give him.  In chapter seventeen, after about fifteen years of those promises, there was nothing to show that God promised him anything.  This God is so marvelous and wonderful in His ways.  God complicated things the more when He said, “Neither shall your name any more be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made you” (Gen. 17:5).

Remember in chapter eleven, God had already promised him so many great things and for fifteen years nothing had happened.  Now in chapter seventeen, God did not only change his name but complicated the whole thing by calling Abram, “Abraham” meaning “the father of many nations”.  Abraham became a walking contradiction. You can imagine the scenario.  As he walked along the road and called by friends and loved ones, Abram, he will reply “my name has been changed by the Almighty”.  When they enquired of his new name, he would answer them by saying; my new name is ‘Father of Many Nations’ which is the Hebrew meaning of the name, Abraham.  You can imagine the amount of insults Abraham would have received bearing that name.  Now, if they were the wicked mockingly query type, they would say, “Father of what? Be quiet and sit down.  You that is yet to have a child claiming to be father of many nations”.  Abraham became a living contradiction because of God’s promise to him.

There are people with children but their lives are not productive?  Some have children but cannot feed or cater for them.  They have become a walking contradiction.  Abraham suffered embarrassment because of God’s promise.

So many people are looking at you and saying, “I thought the LORD spoke through His servant concerning your life, business, marriage, job, family etc that you shall have breakthrough this year, Where is the evidence of the breakthrough? Your life seems like a contradiction.”

“Rejoice not against me, o my enemy: When I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light to me” (Micah 7:8).

Approximately another nine years had passed and the man is still a walking contradiction.  In verse fourteen of Genesis chapter eighteen, the LORD asked Abraham a personal question, ”Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son” Twenty-four years had passed, nothing seemed to be happening. 

There is an appointed time and at the set time, the LORD will restore your joy.  You must understand that your God has the time piece.  He is calculating the time.  The time is not in the hands of your enemies.  How can a spectator time you?  It is not possible!  The person that is watching cinema cannot predict how it will end until it ends.  I see God performing signs and wonders in your life, in Jesus name!

Prayer/confession: LORD, remove from my life every contradiction and give me my laughter, in Jesus name, Amen.

Further reading: Genesis 21:3
Words of wisdom: When contradiction ends, laughter begins.

African Broadcasting Network

Eagles Devotional: Ayo Oritsejafor Ministries (Word Alive Publications)

Photo: Morris Cerullo World Conference, 2015 at San Diego, USA