God keeps His promises, and He has promised to be with us always, and to grant us eternal life. Do we believe that, or do we allow fear to rule our lives? Abraham had been promised that God would protect him and grant him descendants. As Abraham grew older, he began to have doubts. God reminded him of the promise, and commanded him not to be afraid, but to believe. Abraham believed and trusted, and that is what pleased God. This is a lesson we all need to learn. We worry about how to please God, and our weaknesses cause us to doubt and to be afraid of rejection. We please God most when we joyfully place our trust in Him and put aside fear and doubt.

There are so many competing claims about God. Hosts of individuals claim to speak for God or promise to reveal God to those who follow them. How are we to know the truth? Jesus tells us it is very simple: Look and see what sort of lives the individuals or movements that claim divine favour lead. Are people kind, compassionate, forgiving, patient, and generous? Do they respect the dignity and freedom of others? Or is there a desire to control and dominate? If these negative elements are present, look elsewhere. But we also need to examine our behaviour to see if we are indeed credible witnesses for the faith that we profess. If we want good things to come forth from us, first our hearts must be cleansed and transformed.