October 29, Genesis 12
“In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” - Genesis 12:3
Genesis is a book of beginnings. The title of the book in Hebrew is a word that means, "In the beginning." When we come to chapter 12, it's the third beginning we've encountered in this story. First came Creation, then the postdiluvian world and now the origins of the family that will become the nation through whom the promised Savior will come.
Abram (whose name will become Abraham) had started toward the land of Canaan earlier, leaving Ur of the Chaldees with his father Terah and their families. But they settled along the way in a place they named Haran, apparently for Abram's brother who had died while they were still in Ur. For some reason, the journey stalled there until after Terah died, when God again called Abram to leave and travel to a place he promised to show him.
God's call to Abram contains the root of the rest of the long unfolding storyline of the Bible: "I will bless you and make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, that you will be a blessing... And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed" (verse 3). Abram's faith shows in the simple statement, "So Abram went, as the LORD had told him." He took his dead brother's son Lot with him and left Haran. I think there's a profound lesson about life and beginnings in the simple statement that describes their journey: "They went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came" (Genesis 12:5 KJV). Isn't that great? Don’t miss this simple point.
There's a life lesson in that sentence. Hasn't it been true in your life as well as mine? The general principle of choice making and life direction is here: The path you choose determines your destination. For some of us, that's a warning, as in, "The choices you're making and the actions you're taking are going to ruin you if you don't change course." We go where we're headed. Or maybe there's a word of affirmation and promise in the sentence for you. In that case it sounds like, "I know it's not easy, but don't quit. Stay on course. Keep doing the right thing." Again, we go where we're headed. It's true we can't know the uncertain future. There are sometimes unexpected detours and delays that alter our itineraries. We never know who we might meet along the way who could alter our course. But in general, we wind up where our choices pointed us and our actions took us.
Like all human mentors and examples, Abram was not perfect. He was faithful, but his faith was not flawless. When the famine drove Abram and his family to Egypt, Abram and Sarai lied about their relationship, telling the deceptive half-truth the she was his sister instead of his wife. Abram asked her to go along with the lie out of fear in a selfish attempt to save his own life. How many times have we allowed fear to overwhelm our faith and lead us to do something that displeased God?
So Abram is childless, yet God has promised to make his descendants into a great nation. He is homeless, but God has told him that his offspring would find a home in the land where he traveled. It took strong faith to believe those big promises when there was no visible indication that they would come true. The New Testament celebrates Abraham's faith and holds him up as an example for all who trust God and follow Jesus.
So much of the life of faith is wrapped up in believing in what you don't yet see, and trusting promises that have not yet been fulfilled. You and I have a much brighter light of revelation than Abraham possessed. We have an enormous body of evidence that testifies to God's faithfulness. Our faith ought to be vibrant and living. If we don't know the answer to all our questions, so what? Abraham believed and obeyed God on far less information. If we choose to follow this good example of trusting faith, we’ll arrive at a wonderful place where God has promised we’ll be with him.
Copyright © 2021 by Michael B. McElroy. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Today in God's Word—October 2024
East Tallassee Church of Christ
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