FATHER ABRAHAM

When you were a kid, did you ever sing the following ditty during Sunday school or at church camp:

Father Abraham had many sons, 
Many sons had Father Abraham.
I am one of them
And so are you,
So let's just praise the Lord.

That was all there was to the song, but after the first run, the leader would shout out, "Right arm!" and we would all sing it again while waving our right arms around. (The boys would take the opportunity to smack each other "accidentally".) 

After the second round, the leader would shout, "Right arm! Left arm!" and now both arms flailed. Eventually, we'd all be singing and swinging arms and legs while turning in circles.

I always figured the lyrics were just nonsense, since the point of the song seemed to be nothing more than an excuse for kids to work out some extra energy. 

I don't remember anyone ever explaining who Abraham was or what the song meant. 

Or in what way I was a "son of Abraham". 

Or why that would be cause for praising the Lord.

I don't think I ever suspected that "child of Abraham" was a Biblical concept. 

Now as an adult of advancing years, as a pastor, and as a student of the Bible, I have to wonder how the church has come to neglect teaching something so central to the Bible's Big Picture. 

Consider that Jesus gave a whole lot more explanation about the necessity of "being a child of Abraham" in John 8 than he did concerning "being born again" in John 3. 

And then Paul also expounded on what it means to have Abraham as our father in both Romans and Galatians. On the other hand, I'm not aware that he ever used the phrase "born again" in any of his letters. 

My point, of course, is not that being born again is unimportant - it's that what we choose to emphasize from Scripture can be a little random at times. 

Being a child of Abraham seems like a big deal - worthy of inspiring more than a silly song.