Day 7

05 Feb Day 7

El Olam- Eternal God

WRITTEN BY: Daniel McGavisk

Scripture: Genesis 21:33 -NLT– “Then Abraham planted a tamarisk tree at Beersheba, and there he worshiped the LORD, the Eternal God.”

Click here to dive deeper into this passage: Genesis 21 NLT

Observation:  Bible Gateway indicates that the Eternal God is El Olam in Hebrew. It is a combination of two words – “El”- a singular name for God which means might, strength and power; and “Olam” which means everlasting. In combining these words, we get Eternal God—one without beginning or end.

Application: It’s comforting to realize that while we may have met God recently or even many years ago, God has always been and has known about each of us individually for a long time! He has always been faithful to us and his Word lasts forever. In his nature—God is eternal. He can never change!  God is the source of every believer’s everlasting life.  He is the beginning and the end! As believers, we get to be a part of his perfect plan and continue to spread his perfect word to the rest of the world, and walk faithfully in his commands.

Being eternal is a weird concept—let’s be honest! It’s difficult to picture something that has always existed. This would mean the laws and concepts of time do not apply to God. There was no starting point and there will never be an endpoint.  Even in looking at our own lives and our souls, we can see where there was a starting point at least! But God is eternal.

In Genesis 21 NLTGod finally fulfills his promise to Abraham when he gives him a son, Issac, with his wife Sarah.  Abraham was 100 years old at the time this promise was fulfilled.  We may not even live to see 100 years, but this is when God was just getting started with Abraham.  However, God’s Word does not return to him void (Isaiah 55:11). God promised Abraham that he would multiply his descendants to be as plentiful as the stars in the sky. There was no way this wasn’t coming true even in Abraham’s advanced age.

In this passage, Abraham plants a Tamarisk tree. The Tamarisk grows where most plants don’t: in harsh environments where there is low water availability and high salt content.  Abraham planted the Tamarisk to show he appreciated God putting him into a foreign land and still enabling him to thrive. Even with all the challenges and uncertainty, Abraham still believed in God even when the going was tough!

Maybe there was a time in your life that has been tough and it’s hard to understand where God was. Maybe even right now! Abraham believed in the eternal nature of God. El Olam was a great comfort to Abraham because he knew that none of his circumstances would last forever.  The battles we are facing in our lives cannot outlast God because he is eternal. We can take all our challenges to him in prayer as he is greater than all of them!

The fantastic news as Christians is that our eternal life has already started. What are you doing with your life with the scope of eternity? Who are you doing life with? One of the best things we can do with our life (and one of our greatest commands) is to share the Gospel with others. Jesus changed our lives so much when he came into them—so why not share that awesome news with others? Encourage other people you know to know more about Jesus and the eternal life we have.

Prayer: Father, Thank you for being who you are. Thank you for being El Olam, the Eternal God. There is nothing in our lives that is greater than you or that is beyond you. Please help me to actively understand that you can handle all my problems and to give everything to you each and every day. Thank you for giving us everlasting life when we have become your children through Jesus. In your incredible Name, I pray. Amen.

Daniel McGavisk/Newark Café Area Coordinator

Daniel is a current member of the JLI (Journey Leadership Institute) Evening Program and loves getting to lead at The Journey in the Café area. He is passionate about using his talents to serve God in very practical areas and is convicted to help others, especially through the digital world. Daniel encourages everyone at the Journey to embrace getting connected in a J-Group and serving on the J-Team, as it helps drive the messages from our gatherings even further.

---

Next Steps:

It’s the perfect time to get connected in a J-Group! This past week, our spring semester of J-Groups started—have you joined yours yet? 

Maybe you’re looking internally and taking a stock of yourself – How am I living in my eternal life? I would encourage you to search your heart – Psalm 139:23-24 is a great place to start in this process. 

Check out this devotional in YouVersion by John Bevere- “Driven By Eternity”

Don’t hesitate to come back for Day 8 of this devotional tomorrow. We’ll learn more about Jesus and his eternal nature in his Name – The Word!