Genesis 17:1 (NIV)

“When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared

to him and said, “I am God Almighty…”

When Abram was 99 years old the Lord appeared to Abram and presented Himself. Twenty-fours years had gone by since the Lord told Abram to leave his country and relatives. He hadn’t given him His name. Maybe Abram knew Him as Elohim (the name of God as the Creator and Judge of the universe). But 24 years later, God introduced Himself as El Shaddai, which means “all sufficient”. Now, God had already begun telling Abram that He wanted to bless him and that He was going to make a great nation out of him. God spoke to Abram when he was 75 years old about making him into a great nation, now that he’s 99, nothing has happened yet. It’s at this precise time that God decides to present Himself. See, He couldn’t present Himself to Abram as the All Sufficient because at that time Abram didn’t really need anything from God. He only needed direction. But now he was in need. The World Dictionary defines sufficient as:

• adj 1. enough to meet a need or purpose; adequate 3. archaic competent; capable.

Only when Abram was in a great need did God finally presented Himself. He didn’t show up as Elohim, but as El Shaddai (all sufficient, enough to meet a need, all competent and capable). It is at your lowest moment, at the deepest need when you need El Shaddai. We’ve known God as our Creator and our Savior, but now it’s time to know Him as the God who can meet all of your needs, the One who is capable of providing for you. Can you imagine what Abram must of felt like when God presented Himself in that way? Verse 3 says that he fell facedown. Abram need was a child. He had everything else but a child. How could God make a nation out of him if he had no kids? He needed a miracle.

What is your major need? You need to know Him as El Shaddai. Nothing is impossible for God. When He presents Himself to you like that it’s because He has the power to do whatever you need Him to do. He can meet your needs and surpass them. What do you want God to do for you? If you can believe in Him to be all sufficient for you, He can be. Trust in Him, He’s never been wrong. He is not a man that He shall lie. What He says is real and is Truth. So once again I ask you, what is your need? He is more than capable to do accomplish it. Just give a chance to prove it to you. He won’t let you down, and that’s the TRUTH.

Filed under: Devotionals by Adilson Chacón