You can read among the latest news on Bonus Pastor activity about a German team of volunteers coming to Ozd for the first time in October this year. They were fascinated both by the place and people as much as by the remarks of a former client: there is only a one way road leading to Ozd, beyond the settlement the road leads nowhere. That means you have to take a 180° turn, this is the only way ahead for you to be changed properly. I think this realization is a similar one to that of Abraham's, 'the father of all believers' who had to be corrected by grace in his initially weak and rather false faith to learn how to wait upon the Lord in a proper 'advent' and how to exercise faith in his right reward, the Promised Messiah:

After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.” But Abram said, “O Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” Genesis 15:1,2 (NIV)

Abraham was so concerned with obtaining an heir that he failed to understand that God was offering Himself, the greatest of all gifts, to him as his sole reward. This same patriarch who refused the reward offered by the pagan kings and appealed to God to protect him from possible retaliation has now repeated the same action with the King of kings. He has refused God’s offer, but ironically feels no fear of this heavenly king. This is the same God who told him not to fear and offered him protection from earthly powers. If God is so powerful as to protect Abraham from the worldly kings when they are upset, who then will have enough power to protect Abraham from God when He is upset?

Is this not also the case with us? We often find ourselves in a similar situation. First we upset the people, by rejecting them or their offers, even if this rejection is righteous and not out of sinful pride, then God comes down and offers us an escape from our fears and gives Himself to us as a shield. However, after we are protected and feel safe do we dare to reject the very one who protected us. But God is a gracious God. He will not treat us according to what we deserve, as was the case with Abraham. Instead of arguing with him, God says that I alone want to be your reward. And although, God offered Himself to Abraham as a reward, it can also be said that He gave into Abraham’s weakness when he requested an heir rather than God. For, if we look from a higher perspective, Christ who was God became Abraham’s descendant. Thus, in Christ, both God’s offer and Abraham’s request were realized. This truth is illustrated in John 8:56 with the words “Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day he saw it and was glad.” However, when God spoke these words to Abraham He was not interested in convincing Abraham that he himself is Abraham’s reward but rather He is concerned with Abraham’s lack of faith.

Abraham expresses his lack of belief when he says to God “O Sovereign LORD what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus? ... You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.” Genesis 15:2,3 (NIV) However, it must be noted, that although Abraham displays a certain disbelief in God’s promise, he does not completely disbelieve God, rather what he does is demonstrate a limited degree of faith. That is to say, that although Abraham did believe that God would provide him with an heir, he did not believe that God would issue forth an heir from his own flesh. He thought that he would have to settle for a servant who would be only legally adopted into his family. This was not the only expression of Abraham’s limited belief in God. On many occasions, he tried to assist God in the fulfillment of His Word according to his own will rather than waiting for the fulfillment of God’s perfect plan. He attempted to bring God’s plan into being by taking his nephew Lot with him who he later had to abandon, having sexual relations with Hagaar who bore him a son, Ishmael, who he later had to send away, and now he tries to substitute Eliezer for the heir that God has promised him.

This is our story as well. First we believe God at His Word, and then try to help Him bring His Word into being according to our own will and according to our own plans. He allows us each misstep,each expression of disbelief. He corrects every attempt to fulfill his plans by our own means. It is only after allowing us these faltering steps that He lovingly corrects us and leads us to maturity in our faith. It is at this point that His will is accomplished according to His perfect plan. This is the way to true faith. So please, do not be discouraged as you too stumble along in Abraham’s footsteps. After all, you cannot be expected to be a better believer than he was.