Walking with the Promise
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life. ~ Genesis 17:1
In Genesis 17, God appeared to Abram with a life-altering message. After years of waiting for the promise of a son, God revealed Himself as El Shaddai, God Almighty and calls Abram into a deeper covenant. This wasn’t just a reminder of the promise, it was a call to walk faithfully before Him. In response, Abram receives not only a name change but also the confirmation that the long-awaited promise is still coming. God was not late. He was preparing Abram for the fulfillment.
I know what this is like first hand. I held on to the promise of being a writer for years before knowing how or where to start. So much time had passed that I even forgot that He had called me to write. Then I began to question whether I had gotten the right message or not. Even though I had scripture to anchor into, it still felt like I had missed it, or worse, that He had changed His mind. Then I sensed the Lord reminding me, “My promise still stands, but I’m working on you while I prepare it.” That moment brought peace and hope. It didn’t instantly solve everything, but I knew I wasn’t ready and I still needed to grow in my faith. From that point He gave me strength to keep walking toward that promise, trusting Him even when I couldn’t see how it was going to turn out.
This chapter in Genesis speaks directly to those waiting on a promise. Maybe you’ve been believing for healing, restoration, provision, or purpose. Maybe you’ve been waiting for God to fulfill something He spoke long ago. The delays can feel like denials, but they’re not. God often uses the waiting to deepen our walk, build our character, and prepare us to carry the weight of the promise.
Here are some ways to hold on to those promises when nothing seems to be moving in the outward circumstances.
• Start with surrender. Just like Abram bowed in humility, take time to intentionally yield your expectations to God. Say, “Lord, I trust You more than my timeline.”
• Write down what God has promised. Revisit old journal entries or quiet time notes where you sensed Him speak. Remind yourself of His faithfulness.
• Walk faithfully. Even if the promise hasn’t come to pass, live each day with integrity and obedience. Your daily faithfulness is never wasted.
• Keep your covenant fresh. Spend regular time with God in prayer and in the Word. Let your relationship with Him be the source of your strength, not just the hope of a fulfilled promise.
• Celebrate the small signs. Just like Abram received a name change before the baby was born, look for small indicators that God is still moving. Honor the progress, not just the completion.
Today I want to encourage you to walk boldly with the God who sees beyond your present moment. He is not finished. He is not absent. He is El Shaddai—God Almighty—and He is still working out the details of your promise. Let your faith grow deeper, not weaker, as you walk before Him with trust. You are not forgotten, and you are not behind. You are being prepared for something greater than you imagined. Keep walking.
Today’s scripture reading: Genesis 17
1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life.
2 I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants.”
3 At this, Abram fell face down on the ground. Then God said to him,
4 “This is my covenant with you: I will make you the father of a multitude of nations!
5 What’s more, I am changing your name. It will no longer be Abram. Instead, you will be called Abraham, for you will be the father of many nations.
6 I will make you extremely fruitful. Your descendants will become many nations, and kings will be among them!
7 “I will confirm my covenant with you and your descendants after you, from generation to generation. This is the everlasting covenant: I will always be your God and the God of your descendants after you. 8 And I will give the entire land of Canaan, where you now live as a foreigner, to you and your descendants. It will be their possession forever, and I will be their God.”
The Mark of the Covenant
9 Then God said to Abraham, “Your responsibility is to obey the terms of the covenant. You and all your descendants have this continual responsibility.
10 This is the covenant that you and your descendants must keep: Each male among you must be circumcised.
11 You must cut off the flesh of your foreskin as a sign of the covenant between me and you.
12 From generation to generation, every male child must be circumcised on the eighth day after his birth. This applies not only to members of your family but also to the servants born in your household and the foreign-born servants whom you have purchased.
13 All must be circumcised. Your bodies will bear the mark of my everlasting covenant.
14 Any male who fails to be circumcised will be cut off from the covenant family for breaking the covenant.”
Sarai Is Named Sarah
15 Then God said to Abraham, “Regarding Sarai, your wife—her name will no longer be Sarai. From now on her name will be Sarah.
16 And I will bless her and give you a son from her! Yes, I will bless her richly, and she will become the mother of many nations. Kings of nations will be among her descendants.”
17 Then Abraham bowed down to the ground, but he laughed to himself in disbelief. “How could I become a father at the age of 100?” he thought. “And how can Sarah have a baby when she is ninety years old?”
18 So Abraham said to God, “May Ishmael live under your special blessing!”
19 But God replied, “No—Sarah, your wife, will give birth to a son for you. You will name him Isaac, and I will confirm my covenant with him and his descendants as an everlasting covenant.
20 As for Ishmael, I will bless him also, just as you have asked. I will make him extremely fruitful and multiply his descendants. He will become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation.
21 But my covenant will be confirmed with Isaac, who will be born to you and Sarah about this time next year.”
22 When God had finished speaking, he left Abraham.
23 On that very day Abraham took his son, Ishmael, and every male in his household, including those born there and those he had bought. Then he circumcised them, cutting off their foreskins, just as God had told him.
24 Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised,
25 and Ishmael, his son, was thirteen.
26 Both Abraham and his son, Ishmael, were circumcised on that same day,
27 along with all the other men and boys of the household, whether they were born there or bought as servants. All were circumcised with him.
Journal Prompt:
• What promise from God are you still believing for?
• How can you take a step of faithful obedience today while you wait?
• What does “walking before God” look like practically in your current season?
The Daily Dose 