E100 Reading: Gen. 12:1-20

The Lord said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.
Gen. 12:1

The story of Abraham exemplifies the life of one who made a decision to obediently follow God, by trusting in and responding to His Word. In doing so, Abraham fulfilled the plan of God for his life.

In the New Testament we would call that person a disciple. A disciple is one who responds to God’s call to follow Him.

So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.
Galatians 3:9

The blessing is in the believing, not in the achieving. Abraham made mistakes as we can see here in chapter 12. He turned to Egypt in his time of need and he lied about Sarah to protect himself. But because Abraham believed God was able to grow Abraham’s trust to a higher level.

…Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.
Philippians 1:6

Like Abraham, we all have to not only answer God’s call to follow Him, but we have to learn to trust Him in our journey. God never abandoned Abraham when he misplaced his trust. Instead, God showed Himself trustworthy to Abraham. In what ways did Abraham need to be refined and improve by faith? He was told to leave his Father’s household and it says Lot went with him. One more person would be a help, right? Abraham had to learn to trust God, not people who might be obligated to him.

Abraham had to look to God for his provision not to the world, which Egypt typifies. God knew the famine was imminent. God knows what we need before we need it. He is the author and finisher of our faith when we will like Abraham continue on our journey even though we’re not perfect and are being perfected as we go on our journey.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Jeremiah 29:11

Finally, Abraham had to learn to trust God for his safety. He lied about his wife being his sister to protect himself, yet God still intervened on his behalf by plaguing the Pharaoh and his house for taking Sarah into his harem. Again, Abraham and Sarah see that they can trust God even when they blow it and aren’t honest. What’s really awesome is that they left with a huge blessing despite their wrong-doing because they learned from their mistakes, repented and failed forward. He finally learned that he needed to come out of the world and trust God to perfect that which concerned him.

Come out from among them
And be separate, says the Lord.
Do not touch what is unclean,
And I will receive you.
I will be a Father to you,
And you shall be My sons and daughters,
Says the LORD Almighty.
2 Co. 6:17-18