When God calls us to something impossible, He doesn't just "make a way" as the Christianese saying goes. He makes Himself THE WAY.
When God appeared to Abram in Genesis 17, calling him to walk faithful and blameless, Abram appropriately fell facedown, humbled to the point where he could not stand, bereft of another response.
He had to know that what God called him to do (walk faithfully and blameless) would be impossible. Here we see God calling yet another person to do the impossible and then making the way for it to be possible Himself:
“Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, ‘As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations.'” (Genesis 17:3-6)
The name change was more than just a destiny change. It’s significant because of how the name was changed: God inserted Himself into Abram’s old name.
Most scholars believe Abram means something along the lines of “Exalted Father”. When God inserted the “ha” sound, He inserted His own breath. The “ha” in Hebrew is an extraordinary word, often used to represent the breath of God Himself or the sustaining breath of life. It is thought to come from a more ancient word that was the transliteration of the sound fire makes when it comes from the sky to consume an offering. (This is a quick summary, but a more complete treatment is very interesting.)
When God inserted that sound into the middle of Abram’s name, it did more than change the meaning…it changed the meaning and demonstrated who was going to make it happen. He went from being “Exalted Father” to “Father of Many Nations Because I, God Almighty, Will Do It.” That is the significance. Not only did the destiny change, but God Himself ensures it.
God said, "I have made you the father of many nations." The significance is less on the nations and far more on the "I"—He says "I, myself, will do this thing (or have done, if you're a God not held by the boundaries of linear time)."
I am grateful for a God who calls us to the impossible but intervenes by inserting Himself into the equation. Grace makes THE way.
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