I have to admit, although probably a little nerdy, that I was one of those children who would question what the words of songs meant. I wasn’t taught that, I guess I was born with an extra dose of curiosity, sometimes to a fault. But nonetheless, I had it and many times when it wasn’t getting me into trouble; it was helping me to discover great meanings that were sometimes beyond my comprehension. This by the way only fueled a greater desire to know more about the concept or idea.
The “Father Abraham” song was indeed a victim of my inquisitiveness. There was one line in the song that would trip me up every time. I couldn’t understand it and it frustrated me. “Father Abraham had many sons, Many sons had Father Abraham, and I am one of them and so are you.” That’s the line! “I am one of them and so are you.” What!?!?!?
I knew my Father, Grandfather, and even my Great-Grandfathers’ names, on both sides of my family. And none of them were named Abraham. Not even their middle names or nicknames. So, what was the deal? Here I go on my snooping and wonder. I asked everyone I could find what it meant. It was then that a wise older person, with a heart of gold, who could relate to children, sat me down and explained as best as they could in the most simple way possible. To paraphrase their response, they said, “God gave a promise to a man in the Bible, which is strong enough that if you believe in Jesus Christ, you’ll have everything that comes with that promise too!” Although, I realize now that it was still above my head, it was clear enough as a child that I could understand the power of a great promise.
Of course, now I’ve got to discover who that man was and what God’s promise to him really meant. Of course, the man was Abraham. But in a more astounding way, the promise that God made to Abraham was that: 1) All nations would be blessed in Abraham and his seed (generations); 2) Abraham and his descendants would possess a great land forever; 3) Abraham would be the father of many, many generations; 4) Abraham would be the father of powerful children who could conquer all of their enemies; and 5) Abraham’s name would be great. These are revealed in the Old Testament (Genesis 12:1, 3,7; 13: 14-17; 15: 1-7, 12, 18; 17:1-8; 22: 15-18) But the New Testament gives clarity and understanding to these Old Testament promises.
We now understand that to receive, approach, and be a part of these promises that it begins with faith. Abraham’s life is a life of faith, he’s considered the father of it (Romans 4: 11, 16). So then, if I live in faith, in Jesus Christ, I become a recipient of these promises. For most of us, if not all of us, we can immediately understand that being a ‘son of Abraham’ changes our mindset and approach to everything.
I then can no longer be a victim, live defeated, be overwhelmed, overcome, or even sullen about the circumstances around me. And while I don’t get exempt to life’s challenges, I do have hope and peace about the long-term outcome of my life and living. I too, can receive all five of those promises. In a very practical way, 1) Others will be blessed through my life; 2) My entire lineage would be blessed; 3) I would be blessed with many generations to follow; 4) my lineage would be strong and blessed for generations to come; and 5) my name is (going to be) great. All of these promises are alive and well. And as a child, I started the journey to better understand this. All because of the power of a nursery rhyme. “I am one of them and so are you, so let’s just praise the Lord!”
Scripture of the Day: "It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith." - Romans 4:13-14
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