2 - El Shaddai
Scripture Passages: Genesis 17, 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
Devotional
Abram was no stranger to waiting. Decades had passed since God first promised him descendants as numerous as the stars. Yet, at 99 years old, he remained childless through Sarai, his wife. The years of waiting and wondering had tested his faith. Impatiently, Abram had tried to fulfill God’s promise in his own way, resulting in the birth of Ishmael. But Ishmael was not the child of promise.
In Abram’s weariness, God came to him with a fresh revelation: “I am El Shaddai - God Almighty.” This name revealed not only God’s immense power but also His sufficiency to fulfill every promise He made. In this moment, God reminded Abram that His plans were not limited by human frailty, physical impossibilities, or the passing of time.
El Shaddai means “God, all-powerful and all-sufficient.” It is a name that declares God’s ability to do the impossible and His faithfulness to keep His word. Abram had been focusing on his circumstances: his old age, Sarai’s barren womb, and the years that had slipped away. But God wanted Abram to shift his focus from his limitations to God’s limitless power.
El Shaddai was not bound by biology or time. He was more than capable of bringing life to what seemed dead. With this revelation, Abram’s faith was reignited. He became, as Romans 4 tells us, “fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform”. The secret to walking faithfully before God, as Abram did, lies in receiving the revelation of who God is. Faith isn’t about mustering up strength or perfect performance - it’s about being fully convinced that God is who He says He is.
This kind of faith leads to rest. When we truly believe that God is El Shaddai - the all-sufficient One - we can release our fears, doubts, and striving for perfection. We stop focusing on our own weaknesses or the impossibilities before us and start resting in His sufficiency. Like Abram, we may face seasons where God’s promises seem delayed or impossible. But in those moments, God calls us to remember His name: El Shaddai. He is not only powerful enough to fulfill His promises but also sufficient to sustain us as we wait.
God has promised to be our shield, our provider, and our reward. He assures us that He will deliver us from evil, give us the strength to endure trials, and lead us in His ways. These promises are not dependent on our ability to achieve them but on His power to fulfill them.
Are you focusing on the impossibilities in your life, or are you resting in God’s sufficiency?
What promise of God do you need to trust Him for today?
How can you live differently, knowing that God is El Shaddai, the all-sufficient One?
Prayer:
Lord, You are El Shaddai, the God who is all-powerful and all-sufficient. Forgive me for the times I’ve doubted Your promises or tried to fulfill them in my own strength. Help me to trust You fully and to rest in Your sufficiency. Teach me to walk faithfully before You, confident that You will keep every promise You have made. Amen.