Waiting on God’s Promises with Courage and Faith

Oct 11, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Rescued from Tar Pits by a Courageous Trust

When life traps us in sticky, suffocating places like the bitumen pits of Sodom, we need a rescuer. Lot’s captivity reveals how sin entangles, but Abram’s 318 trained men remind us that God’s promise fuels bold action. Trusting God’s faithfulness doesn’t mean passive waiting—it means rallying allies, dividing forces, and charging into battles only He can win. Courage grows when we fix our eyes on the One who owns heaven and earth. [17:47]

Abram brought back his brother Lot, and the women and the other people. (Genesis 14:16, ESV)

Reflection: Where is God calling you to act with courage instead of staying stuck? Name one step of trust you can take this week.

Day 2: The Slow Pull of Sodom’s Outskirts

Lot chose the outskirts of Sodom, thinking he could enjoy its perks without being consumed. But sin never stays at a safe distance. Like tar, it clings and drags us deeper until we’re captive to what we thought we could control. Jesus, the better Abraham, rescues us not because we deserve it, but because His promise holds fast. Will we let Him pull us from the pit? [19:56]

As morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be swept away in the punishment of the city.” But he lingered. (Genesis 19:15–16, ESV)

Reflection: What “outskirts” are you lingering near? How might you move further from compromise today?

Day 3: Bread, Wine, and the Guarantee of Presence

Melchizedek’s unexpected arrival with bread and wine reframed Abram’s victory. This king-priest pointed beyond the battle to a God who nourishes His people in the wait. Every meal of remembrance—like Communion—anchors us in the promise that Jesus, our eternal High Priest, walks with us. His presence is the guarantee; our job is to lift empty hands in surrender. [27:42]

And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) And he blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth.” (Genesis 14:18–19, ESV)

Reflection: Where do you need to trade self-sufficiency for surrender? What does lifting “empty hands” look like for you?

Day 4: Counting Stars in the Dark of Doubt

Abram stared at the night sky, wrestling childlessness and God’s silence. Yet his raw question—“What will You give me?”—invited divine clarity. God didn’t scold his doubt; He answered with stars. Our hardest waits often precede the moments God stretches our vision to see His boundless faithfulness. Keep counting. Keep asking. [34:10]

And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness. (Genesis 15:5–6, ESV)

Reflection: What doubt are you hesitating to voice to God? How might His answer surprise you?

Day 5: Smoke, Fire, and the God Who Walks Alone

The smoking pot and flaming torch didn’t ask Abram to march through the split animals. God alone passed through, binding Himself to His promise. Our covenant-keeping God doesn’t demand we earn His yes—He sealed it in Christ. When waiting feels heavy, remember: the weight rests on Him, not you. [41:12]

When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram. (Genesis 15:17–18, ESV)

Reflection: What burden are you carrying that God alone must bear? How can you rest in His covenant today?

Sermon Summary

Genesis 14 and 15 put the struggle of waiting right out in the open. God has promised to save and bless his people by his power and presence, ultimately in Jesus, but God’s promise can feel threatened, tested, and doubtful while the waiting drags on. Waiting messes with perceived control, tests patience, and raises hard questions about whether God will really do what he said.

Genesis 14 opens with nine powerhouse kingdoms grabbing for power, land, and presence. Lot gets swept up in that mess because sin never lets people stay on the outskirts. Lot saw that Sodom looked good, moved near it, and eventually found himself dwelling in it, captured and unable to get himself out. Jesus stands as the better Abraham, entering captivity to rescue people who cannot rescue themselves, but Lot’s story also warns against running back to Sodom after rescue.

Abram’s response to Lot’s capture shows courage rooted in God’s promise. Abram stays near the oaks of Mamre, a place of worship and peace, while everybody else is fighting and grabbing. God gives Abram victory over an enemy that looked unbeatable, and Melchizedek rightly gives God the credit. Abram receives that word, gives a tenth, and refuses even a thread or sandal strap from the king of Sodom because Sodom will not get credit for what God has done.

Genesis 15 lets Abram bring his questions close to the Lord. God does not rebuke Abram for asking about the promised offspring and land. God takes Abram outside, points him toward the stars, and promises that his offspring will be beyond counting. Abram believes the Lord, and God counts that faith as righteousness. Faith rests not in Abram’s ability to make the promise happen, but in God’s ability to do what Abram cannot.

God then binds himself to the covenant through smoke and fire passing between the sacrifices. God’s presence carries the weight of the promise. God foresees Israel’s suffering, Egypt’s judgment, and Israel’s deliverance, showing that delayed judgment and delayed fulfillment never mean forgotten promises. Jesus becomes the yes and amen of every promise, giving courage for obedience, patience without compromise, and freedom to bring doubts honestly before God.

Key Takeaways

1. Sin draws people deeper than intended Lot did not begin in the middle of Sodom. Lot moved toward what looked good, then found himself dwelling in the very place that captured him. Sin regularly promises manageable proximity while slowly demanding deeper allegiance. Jesus rescues captives, but rescue also calls people to stop flirting with the place that enslaved them. [19:32]
2. God gets credit for every rescue Melchizedek names God Most High as the one who delivered Abram’s enemies into his hand. Abram refuses the king of Sodom’s offer because he will not let Sodom claim credit for God’s blessing. Faith recognizes that courage, victory, provision, and rescue are all gifts from God’s hand. God’s glory matters more than the appearance of self made success. [27:42]
3. Faith brings honest questions to God Abram asks God how the promise can possibly happen while he remains childless. God does not shame Abram’s grief or curiosity, but answers him with a bigger promise under the stars. Faith is not pretending that the ache is gone or the future is clear. Faith brings the ache to the Lord and trusts his ability to fulfill what he has promised. [32:29]
4. God bears the weight of his covenant The smoking fire pot and flaming torch move between the sacrifices while Abram watches. God binds himself to the covenant and declares that the promise rests on his faithfulness, not Abram’s strength. Waiting becomes possible because God is not asking his people to manufacture his promise. Jesus secures every yes and amen by carrying the covenant all the way through.

## [41:12]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[08:10] - God’s Promise to Save and Bless
[09:51] - Why Waiting Is So Hard
[15:11] - Four Kings Against Five
[18:20] - Lot Captured by Sodom
[22:05] - Abram Acts with Courage
[25:08] - Melchizedek and the King of Sodom
[31:00] - Abram’s Questions About the Promise
[36:18] - God’s Covenant for Land and Offspring
[42:07] - Every Promise Finds Its Yes in Jesus

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Genesis 15:6
“And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness.” [35:16]

Genesis 14:12
“They also took Lot, the son of Abram's brother, who was dwelling in Sodom, and his possessions, and went their way.” [18:44]

2 Corinthians 1:20
“For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.” [42:24]

Observation questions

What details show that Lot had moved from being near Sodom to living in Sodom when he was captured? [19:32]
After Abram’s victory, how do Melchizedek and Abram each respond to the victory and its source? [27:42]
What concerns does Abram bring to God in Genesis 15, and how does God respond to his questions about offspring? [32:29]
What actions in Genesis 15 show that God, rather than Abram, bears the weight of fulfilling the covenant? [41:12]

Interpretation questions

Lot’s capture follows his decision to settle in Sodom. What does this pattern reveal about the way sin can appear manageable at first but gradually take a deeper hold? [20:06]
Abram refuses even a small part of the king of Sodom’s offer after receiving God’s victory. Why would refusing that offer protect God’s glory and Abram’s trust in God’s provision? [29:16]
Genesis 15:6 says Abram believed God and was counted righteous. What does this show about the difference between trusting God’s ability and trying to earn God’s promise through personal effort? [35:16]
God tells Abram that future suffering will come before deliverance, yet He also promises judgment and rescue. How does this help explain why a delay in God’s answer does not mean that God has forgotten His people? [38:35]

Application questions

Where might sin be inviting you to stay “close enough” rather than calling you into obvious rebellion? What would it look like to name that pull honestly and take a step away from it this week? [20:18]
Is there an area of life where you have been rescued from a destructive pattern but still feel tempted to return to it? What support from trusted believers would help you keep moving away from that “Sodom”? [21:01]
What are you waiting for right now that makes you feel especially out of control, impatient, or doubtful? Which of those struggles is most difficult for you to bring honestly before God? [11:39]
Abram acted courageously when Lot needed rescue, even though the enemy looked stronger. Is there a faithful and courageous step God may be inviting you to take while you wait—perhaps confronting sin, asking for help, or serving someone in need? [24:30]
When something goes well—at work, in relationships, financially, or spiritually—whose credit do you tend to seek or accept? What could help you give God clearer credit for His provision and rescue? [27:42]
Abram brought his grief about having no child directly to the Lord. What unanswered question, disappointment, or fear do you need to bring to God instead of hiding it or trying to solve it alone? [34:30]
God’s covenant rests on His faithfulness, and every promise finds its yes in Jesus. How does that truth change the way you can wait without compromising your obedience or trying to manufacture the outcome? [42:24]

Sermon Clips

46s

#GodsPromises

“And so here we see God's presence moves between these offerings of sacrifice, and then he makes a covenant. Here's what God is doing, church. He is swearing by himself that his promise will take place. He is binding himself to the covenant. He's the one who's going to make it happen. As he passes through, it's not Abraham who's gotta do the work. It's God. God's gonna move between these pieces of of offering saying, this rests on me. Church, that should fuel our ability to wait on the Lord and trust in his work, in his power, and his presence.”

40s

#JesusSaves

“Some of you this morning, today needs to be the day where Jesus is the far better Abraham who comes in and rescues you from your sin by his broken body, by his shed blood, by him coming and living the life you couldn't live and dying the death you should have died, that he brings you out of Sodom and rescues you out of captivity. You can't do it on your own. You need a rescuer. And though this feels like God's promise is threatened, it's an opportunity for Abram to trust God's ability to save and rescue.”

50s

#FreedomFromSin

“Sin does not let you just stay on the outskirts. It draws you in, it takes you further, and it costs more than you ever intended. And Lot here ends up stuck and captivated because he chose to dwell in Sodom, and he needs a rescuer. I wonder this morning for us, where are you too close to habits and patterns of sin? Where are you trying to to tame your sin, and you are slowly being drawn in to Sodom? You are slowly being captivated, and and you are finding yourself this morning in need of a rescuer.”

40s

#TrustAndCourage

“This looked at the beginning like it was a threat to God's promise. Lot has been taken captive. What's going to happen? And I, again, I think one of the reasons we can struggle to wait on God's promise is because it feels like it threatens our control. What we see in Abraham here is that it's an opportunity for him to trust God and behave courageously. Maybe what you're going through right now, what you're waiting on, God is calling you to trust him and act with courage.”

39s

#FaithAlone

“Now from this, the Israelites would look at this and go, he is the father of our faith. He is the patriarch. That Abram's faith in God to do what they could not makes Abraham here the patriarch of Israel's history. And then in in places like Romans four and Galatians three, Paul takes that and go, yeah, guys, it's always been about faith. It's never been about our works. But it's faith alone through grace alone in Christ alone. That is how we are declared righteous. That's what Romans and Galatians will tell will tell us.”

50s

#WaitingOnGod

“my question would be, what are what are you waiting for this morning? Probably something way deeper and more meaningful than a Diet Coke. Maybe you're waiting on that job promotion or a new house or maybe you're waiting on a spouse. Maybe you're waiting on children. Maybe you're waiting on hope or peace or comfort from the Lord, healing from the Lord. And this morning, you come in and you find that waiting difficult. We all know that. The question I wanna ask this morning is why? Why is waiting so difficult? And if you find yourself here struggling to wait, I think you find yourself in good company with Abraham this morning.”

34s

#LeaveSodom

“Lot is stuck, and he can't get himself out. Abram's gonna have to come save the day. You and I find ourselves stuck much like Lot in need of a rescue. And Jesus comes to be the better Abraham and to rescue us and draw us out of captivity, but let us not go back to Sodom. We're gonna see Lot will return, and it will go poorly again for him.”

40s

#WorshipWarrior

“He defends his worship. He fights off the things that are trying to steal his sacrifice, his worship, his obedience to the Lord. Are you willing to war for your worship? Are you willing to battle the things that inhibit your praise and your obedience? Or are you too comfortable just kind of staying close to birds of prey? I love the picture here that Abraham is driving away the things that are going to get in the way and steal his obedience.”

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