January 22

God’s call to Abraham

                    Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.  I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.  I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”  So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.  Abram took his wife Sarai and his brother’s son Lot, and all the possessions that they had gathered, and the persons whom they had acquired in Haran; and they set forth to go to the land of Canaan. When they had come to the land of Canaan, Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land.  Then the Lord appeared to Abram, and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him.

Genesis 12:1-7

             Since the beginning, God has chosen to use people to be His representatives to humanity.  That is one of the least efficient strategies that I can think of.  He could speak directly from the Heavens.  He could have angels be His ambassadors.  He could make the animals or the rocks speak His words to the world.  All of those would be incredibly effective at relaying God’s message. 

            Instead God has chosen to build up a people and allow them to serve as an example to the world.  We do that not by debate or military might, but by testifying.  We are called to tell what we have seen and what we have experienced.  We are to be witnesses to the goodness that comes from being a child of God.

            Abram was given an insane invitation.  He was to leave his community in a time where being a stranger often led to being dead.  He was to walk until God told him to stop with no indication of where they were going.  And he was to believe that God would bring a nation from a 75 year old man and his barren wife.  Through the course of his life, Abram was able to testify that God changed his name, gave him a son and was faithful to his word to bless both him and those who were kind to him.  He was able to testify that God did things that were impossible.  He never saw the total fulfillment of God’s promise, that took centuries to unfold.  But Abraham believed that God would do what He said He would do; he became the Father of a nation that would usher in the salvation of the world.

            What are God’s promises to us?  Contrary to what some would preach, God does not promise us wealth.  He does not promise health for us or for our children.  He does not promise a life free of conflict or suffering.  Instead He promises that through all of the hardships of life, He will be with us.  Sharing every tear.  Mourning every loss.  Celebrating every victory.  Equipping us for every trial that comes our way.  He will go through every part of this life with us and then, one day when this life has run its course, He will be there to welcome us into Life Eternal with Him, arms open and eyes beaming. 

            Some of God’s promises we will see come to completion.  Some we are called to believe without seeing.  Through it all God pours out His goodness into us.  Sometimes that looks like money and material things.  Sometimes that looks like physical healing.  Sometimes that looks like internal healing.  Sometimes it looks like growth in compassion and hope and joy.  Just like Abraham, we have the opportunity to testify to the goodness of our life with God as we walk through His promises.  Because He thinks that you make the best messenger for this world.

A moment to reflect:

What has God promised to you?  How have you seen His goodness through your life?

Refrigerator Art of the Day:

D Age 13