The Lord promised Abraham the Land of Canaan, but the patriarch asked,

“Lord God, how shall I know that I will inherit it?” (Genesis 15:8).

Abraham did not challenge the Lord, but wanted confirmation. Therefore, the Lord instructed Abraham,

“Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon” (Genesis 15:9).

Abraham did as instructed, but as you will see, he had to wait before the Lord acted,

“Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two, down the middle, and placed each piece opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds in two. And when the vultures came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away” (Genesis 15:10–11).

Enough time transpired that the divided animals attracted vultures. However, Abraham chased away the birds, and waited. Abraham knew that the Lord did not exist for man’s benefit, but that man exists for God’s glory, so that His schedule is not our schedule, and He does not follow our commands, but we follow His.