The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. Genesis 12:1
This week, we are focusing our study of faith on the life of Abraham, someone listed in Scripture as a man of great faith. As I think about Abraham, one thing immediately stands out: Abraham obeyed God, even when his situation did not make sense. When he could not have known the outcome, Abraham trusted God enough to obey Him when things were unknown and did not make sense.
Before he was called Abraham, Abraham was known as Abram. In Genesis 12, God said to him, "Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father's family, and go to the land that I will show you" (verse 1). Can you imagine being given such an assignment? Remember, there were no cell phones, automobiles, or planes. This would not only be a long journey, but also meant leaving his family and friends behind. This command to Abraham came with a promise, “I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you, and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you” (verses 2-3). With this command, along with the promise, Abraham left, accompanied by his wife, Sarai, and his nephew, Lot. Because of his faith in God’s promises, Abraham obeyed God. Genesis 12:4 tells us that “Abram departed as the Lord had instructed.” His faith in God was outstanding.
After studying Abraham's story in Genesis 12, it becomes crystal clear that obedience is certainly connected with faith. Because Abraham believed in God's promises and instructions, he acted in obedience as a response. This is also true in our lives. If we have faith in God and His Word, we will do what He says. As a result, our call today is to evaluate our faith. Do we believe in God and His word? If so, is that faith apparent through our obedience?
As you think about your own life, is there something you have been avoiding that God wants you to do? Maybe that thing felt confusing or scary because the outcome is unknown. Maybe the thing God has called you to do does not necessarily make sense in the world’s eyes, but you know God is calling you to do it. Your challenge is to take a step in the direction of doing whatever God calls you to beginning today. As you go, ask God for the courage to faithfully obey Him.
Read Genesis 12:1-9 (NLT)
The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.
“I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran. He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Harran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there.
Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring[c] I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him.
From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord.
Then Abram set out and continued toward the Negev.
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