Creator, Father, King #52

Abram departed as the LORD had instructed.

AS WE DISCUSSED YESTERDAY, the story of Abram’s call is a wonderful example of God’s gracious initiative in saving lost sinners and bringing them into his eternal purposes.

But have you ever considered Abram’s perspective? When God commanded him, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you” (Genesis 12:1), Abram’s head must have been spinning! Perhaps some of the following thoughts and questions ran through his mind:

• Who in the world is speaking to me? (Remember, Abram came from a family who worshiped many gods and idols.)
• This is clearly a powerful God since none of the other gods my family has worshiped ever spoke to me. Does this mean all the others are fake?
• What kind of land is God sending me to? It’s an awfully long journey. Is it a dangerous place? What if I don’t like it there?
• How can God make me into a great nation (Genesis 12:2) when my wife and I are both old and we don’t have children?

Abram had a lot of reasons to say no to God’s calling. But thankfully, he said yes. And the world has never been the same.

What’s It Mean?

If you are God’s child through faith in his Son, Jesus Christ, he will call you to display great faith in him, as he did with Abram. Sometimes, he will pull you out of your comfort zone for your own good. He’s probably not going to tell you to hop on a camel and trek hundreds of miles to a foreign country to start a new nation. But whether now or later, God will reveal his plan for various parts of your life, and he will call you to follow his guiding hand.

When he does, his timing and purpose probably won’t align with your plan. That’s okay—he’s God and you’re not! Don’t question him; just obey. Follow Abram’s faith-filled example and “depart as the Lord instructs” (paraphrase of today’s verse). When the Lord calls, say yes!

You won’t know what the outcome will be. But the Lord does. And you can trust that the almighty, omniscient God has your best interest in mind, and that he will equip you for the journey and will carry you through until the end.

God is calling. Are you ready to answer?

Now What?

Pray for a heart that will say yes to God’s call.

Did You Know?

Abram was no spring chicken when he started the journey from Haran to Canaan. He was seventy-five!