After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.” But Abram said, “Lord God, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” Then Abram said, “Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed one born in my house is my heir!” And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir.” Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness. (Genesis 15:1-6)

God Is The Rewarder

Abram and Sarai had been married for many years but without a child of their own. It would seem Sarai would be barren until death, and Abram would never have a child by his wife. At the age of 75, the Lord comes to Abram and tells him a remarkable story. If Abram trusted in the promises of God, Abram and Sarai would have a child. The Lord tells Abram to leave his home and go to a place that he would be told. Without hesitation, Abram gathers his family and goes wherever the word of the Lord instructs him. For the next twenty-five years, Abram and Sarai wait for the promise of God. They trust in the word of the Lord and know that what God has promised, He will keep. Abram and Sarai maintain their devotion to the promise of God that a son would come through their loins. With each passing year, the reality of a child became less and less. Then, a day came when the Lord God came to Abram and told him that he would see his promised son within the year. At the age of 100, Abraham looked upon the face of his only begotten son, Isaac. Sarah was 90 years of age at the birth of Isaac, and she rejoiced.

Promising a son to a woman past the age of childbirth and a man whose body was dead to procreation was a sign of the divine power of God. The birth of Isaac was a miracle confirming the power of God to do the impossible. It also affirmed the character of the Lord God that what He promises will come to pass. God is a God of promises who is the rewarding God to those who believe in His promises. Many promises can be made with little chance of those promises coming to pass. Rewards are offered, but the rewards can fail or be diminished. The promises of God are true, righteous, and without reservation. Attached to the promises of God is the reward that He will accomplish what He says He will do.

God told Abram that He was his shield and his exceedingly great reward. Abram was uncertain how the Lord would bring to pass an impossible blessing of a son in his old age. The Lord took Abram outside and showed him the canopy of stars that filled the heavens. When God made a promise to Abraham, He promised him the reward of a son, and from this son, an innumerable host of descendants would come that could not be counted. The promise of God was incredible, and the reward was unimaginable. Abraham believed in the Lord, and God accounted Abraham’s faith to righteousness. There was a trust in the heart of Abraham that what God promised, He would reward.

Coming to the Lord requires more than faith. Many have faith in God but are unwilling to accept the terms of redemption. The Hebrew writer defines salvation with faith to believe that God is real and that His word is true. Going beyond a veneer response of faith, the true believer accepts the impossible, knowing that what God has promised, He will reward. God is the great rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. A reward is given to those who deserve to receive such a blessing. The reward of eternal life is not given to everyone. Jesus said few would believe in the promises of the Father, and as a result, few will see the reward of eternal life. Those who believe in the word of the Lord and obey the word of the Lord will enjoy the reward of the promises of God. There is ample evidence to persuade that God is a God of rewards. Having become persuaded with the faithfulness of the Lord, the believer will seek the Lord and endure to the end. Abraham waited twenty-five years to see the fulfillment of God’s promises, and he never wavered. He received his reward. True believers will receive the promises of God when they live faithful and devoted lives believing that what God promised, God will keep.