El Shaddai renames Abram to Abraham

Read Genesis 17:1-8

This passage opens with God calling himself by a new name, El Shaddai, meaning “God almighty”. Abram also receives a new name, Abraham, meaning “Father of a multitude”.

Why might this chapter begin with all these new names? Because God wants to remind Abraham of the promises he has made to him, and the reality of who it is that made those promises to him.

Now Abraham would everyday be reminded of God’s promise to him, that from him would come many descendants, mighty peoples. He would also be reminded why such a thing was possible, because God is mighty.
Abraham was 75 when God first promised to bless his descendants, he is now 99 and God is now about to promise that his offspring will come through Sarai not Hagar who birthed Ishmael.

Why wait this long? Why delay his plan? He wanted Abraham and the whole world to know, this will come about by the power of God alone. People won’t be able to attribute the results to anyone but God himself. God deliberately chooses that which is weak, unexpected, even undesirable, he does not need us, we need him.

There are few greater blessings in the gospel than learning that God loves us when we are weak.

2 Corinthians 12:9 (ESV)
⁹ But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

God chose Abraham because he was weak, God chose us because we are weak, The son of God died on a cross to show that God doesn’t use strength, he uses weakness. God does this because strong people see no need for him.

If we are convinced that we are self-sufficient, that we can take care of ourselves. We do not understand the gospel. God wants us needy, he wants us desperate, for him. Because when we are then we seek him that much more zealously.

Don’t think your weakness is a curse, it is very often your greatest blessing, you just don’t understand how yet.

Prayer:

“God reveal my weaknesses to me, and show me how you are using them to make your name great. Let me be content with being humiliated, having all my flaws exposed, and suffering, if it means your power is more mightily displayed in my life. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.”