Having Lunch With Father Abraham: A Study On True Belief

Join me for a look at Abraham’s saving faith, the moment God counted his belief as righteousness, and what true Emunah faith means for us today.

Have you ever wondered which person from the Bible you would most like to meet in heaven?

I have, and the thought is very exciting. My list is incredibly long. Excluding God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, it includes Mary, the Apostles, James the brother of Jesus, Adam, Eve, David, all the Prophets, Moses, Joshua, and Caleb, Mary Magdalene, Mary and Martha, Lazarus, Jabez, the woman at the well, Barnabas, and Silas. The list goes on and on. Thankfully, we will have all eternity to meet, talk, and be with other saints.

Imagine if there was a large video screen where we could watch the entire Bible played out in real time, narrated by each person involved. Even better, what if we could step into it and experience it firsthand? I want to see the land, know the customs, learn everyone’s thoughts, and hear how they came to faith in Jesus. I have always fancied having lunch with Abraham outside his tent. It would probably be hot and sandy, with wonderful dishes like figs and date honey.

I would sit on a big Bedouin rug and probably smell the camels and other animals. I can just imagine this scene would be filled with a huge variety of aromas.

Father Abraham

The life of Abraham, the father of the Jewish nation and a remarkable believer, captivates me. His journey is filled with dramatic events, unwavering faith, and a relentless pursuit of the one true God.

There is so much about this man and his life I want to share with you. God’s covenant with him moves me to tears, especially the moment he left his homeland to follow a God he had only just met. He and Sarah’s deep longing for children and the reason behind it, the heart-wrenching three-day journey to Mount Moriah with his only son, and the terror, joy, and faithfulness in getting his son back- these stories are deeply touching. But for now, let’s focus on his extraordinary faith.

God made a covenant with Abram, his name before he believed. A covenant is more than a promise. It is a binding, unbreakable agreement, only broken by death. God promised Abram that he would become the father of a great nation, that He would give Abram land for eternity, and more. The name Abram means great father, which was quite ironic for this childless man of faith. He was seventy-five years old when God made these astounding promises to him.

Abram must have clung tightly to these promises as years passed without any children. He and his wife Sarai, her name before God changed it, were well past childbearing age. Decades went by, yet Abram continued to believe in God and His promises.

Abram’s Belief

The first time the word believes appears in the Bible is in Genesis 15:6. Let’s set the stage.

Abram, around eighty-five years old, is visited by God once again. God tells Abram not to fear, that He would be his shield, and that Abram’s reward would be very great (Genesis 15:1).

Abram immediately reminds God that he is still childless, recalling God’s covenant promise. Despite all human odds, Abram knows that God is greater than any obstacle, even something as seemingly insurmountable as being past the age of bearing children. I love this moment. Abram is persistent in reminding God of His promise.

God then takes Abram outside, perhaps from his big tent, and shows him the stars in the sky. Picture it: a dark, clear night in the desolate desert, cooled from the day’s heat. Abram wraps himself in his cloak and steps out into the night, with the heavens overflowing with twinkling stars.

God says to Abram, “Count the stars if you are able to count them. So shall your descendants be.”

And then the Bible tells us something magnificent: “Then he (Abram) believed in the Lord, and He (God) reckoned it to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:6).

Abram believed that God would make his descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky. He believed that God was who He said He was and could do what He promised. This belief was reckoned, or accounted, to him as righteousness, being in right standing with God. Once you are truly in right standing with God, you always are. Amazing.

What Is True Belief?

The Hebrew word for believe is Emunah, pronounced em MOO nah. It is translated as believe in English, or as pistis in Greek. But Emunah carries a much deeper meaning. To believe is to assent to a factual statement or agree to the truth of something.

Abram’s belief was an Emunah belief, a deep and steadfast faith that led God to change his name to Abraham, meaning father of a great nation. This old, childless man, whose name before his encounter with God meant great father, became Abraham, the father of a great nation.

Abraham’s belief is much deeper and richer than what many of us understand. It embodies the same broad meaning as when God calls us to have faith in Him. Simply believing that there is a God does not credit us as righteous.

James 2:19 says, Even the demons believe and shudder.

The demons know who Jesus is and believe in God, but their belief did not lead to salvation. Just knowing that there is a God is not a saving belief.

Like Abraham, we are called to an Emunah belief, a faith that sees God and assents to belief in Him. And then belief drives us to repentance and a life lived for God rather than ourselves. It embodies steadfastness and persistence in our commitment to God, which is a life of faithfulness.

So, when things get hard, and they will, and it seems like God is not who He says He is or will not do what He says He will do, we must Emunah believe. We must persistently believe, bowing our knee to our God and committing ourselves to Him alone. We believe that God is, He can, and He will, no matter the circumstances.

Yes, when I get to heaven, Abraham and I will have lunch and a long, long talk. I have so much to ask him. If you believe in Jesus, why don’t you join us? We will make it a feast.

Scripture To Ponder

Therefore, recognize that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “All the nations will be blessed in you.”

So then, those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer. Galatians 3:6-9

Abraham’s story reminds me that saving faith begins in a single moment. He believed, and faith was reckoned to him as righteousness. But that moment was not the end of his story; it was the beginning of a lifetime of steadfast belief, held onto through years of waiting and uncertainty. He did not have all the answers, and he did not know how God would keep His promises. He simply believed that God was who He said He was and would do what He said He would do, and that belief carried him for the rest of his life.

That is the same invitation extended to each of us. A single moment of true, saving belief that then shapes how we live, trust, and hope for all our days. When life feels uncertain, and the promises of God seem far off, may we look to the stars, just as Abraham did, and remember that our God keeps His word.

I hope this glimpse into Abraham’s life encourages your own faith today. And one day, I still hope to sit down with Father Abraham for that long-awaited chat and lunch.

More Posts To Help Your Grow In Faith

What Is Saving Faith

This post looks closely at what it truly means to believe, moving beyond simple acknowledgment of God into the kind of faith that leads to a changed life. It is a helpful companion piece to Abraham’s story of belief.

For Such A Time As This: God’s Purpose And Plan for You

Through the story of Esther, this post offers comfort and courage for uncertain seasons, a reminder that God has always been at work behind the scenes for His people. Like Abraham, Esther’s story shows what it looks like to trust God even when the outcome is unknown.

How To Control All The Negative Thoughts

This post explores what it means to take every thought captive to Christ, replacing doubt and negativity with the truth of God’s Word. It pairs well with Abraham’s example of clinging to God’s promises despite every reason to doubt.

Forgiving Others And Living In Peace

Forgiveness is not easy, but this post walks through what God says about it and why holding onto a grudge only weighs the heart down. It is a good next step for anyone wanting to live out their faith in daily relationships.

The Power of Prayer: Why It Is Your Greatest Weapon and How to Use It Every Day

This post shares practical, Scripture-based ways to build a stronger prayer life, one grounded in ongoing, honest conversation with God. Just as Abraham brought his doubts directly to God, this post encourages readers to do the same.

Happy Sunday, friends…