God cuts a deal with Abraham. Literally. Yeah, I know that Abram did the cutting, but it was God that vowed to uphold the deal. A couple of notes of interest. First, why did Abraham cut the animals in half? It was a symbol of the commitment of the two parties. Basically, the parties that walked in between the two halves of the animals said, "May the same fate come to me if I do not uphold this covenant." Secondly, did you notice that Abram fell asleep? He did not actually walk through the animals. Only God walked this path, while Abram only dreamed about it. Thus, God took all of the responsibility of this agreement on himself. That makes this covenant unconditional. God will uphold his promise to bless Abraham with descendants who will inherit the land. This affirmation helped Abram during a time when his faith was wavering.
Has there ever been a time when you needed affirmation in your faith? What kind of unconditional promises has God made to you that can strengthen your faith? Remember what God said to Abraham: I am your shield, your very great reward. Do not be afraid!
What a wonderful promise, indeed!!
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