How can we trust God's timing in fulfilling promises, as seen in Genesis 22:20? Setting the Scene: Genesis 22:20 in Context • Right after the dramatic test on Mount Moriah, “Some time later, Abraham was told, ‘Milcah has also borne sons to your brother Nahor’” (Genesis 22:20). • This report lists eight nephews—including Bethuel, father of Rebekah (vv. 21–23). • Without fanfare, God is putting in place the next link in the promise: a bride for Isaac, the promised son. Not Just a Footnote: God’s Providential Timing • God works while we obey. Abraham’s hardest act of obedience (vv. 1–19) is immediately followed by news that answers a need he hasn’t even voiced—Isaac’s future wife. • The promise moves forward quietly. Years earlier God said, “In Isaac your seed will be called” (Genesis 21:12). Rebekah’s birth shows that God is already securing Isaac’s line before anyone seeks it. • Delay is not inactivity. What looked like a silent span between promises is actually filled with God’s behind-the-scenes preparation. Lessons on Trusting God’s Timing Today • Remember His track record – He kept every detail for Abraham; He will for you (Joshua 21:45). • Obey the step in front of you – Abraham offered Isaac; God supplied the next step. Obedience invites fresh revelation (John 14:21). • Believe that preparation precedes manifestation – “For the vision awaits an appointed time… though it lingers, wait for it” (Habakkuk 2:3). • Recognize that God’s calendar is perfect – “When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son” (Galatians 4:4). If He timed redemption flawlessly, He can time our smaller stories. • Rest in His character – “The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some understand slowness” (2 Peter 3:9). His seeming delay is patience and precision, never negligence. Putting It into Practice 1. Rehearse past faithfulness—write down moments when God answered “late” but right. 2. Align with today’s assignment—carry out what you already know to do, just as Abraham did. 3. Speak His promises aloud—let Scripture shape expectation more than circumstances. 4. Release the timetable—entrust both outcome and schedule to Him. “Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you” (Psalm 55:22). Encouraging Scriptures on God’s Timing • Psalm 31:15: “My times are in Your hands.” • Ecclesiastes 3:11: “He has made everything beautiful in its time.” • Isaiah 60:22: “At the right time, I, the Lord, will make it happen swiftly.” God’s quiet mention of Rebekah’s birth in Genesis 22:20 assures us that while we walk in obedience, He is already arranging tomorrow’s answers. Trust His timing; He is never late, never early—always exact. |
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