DAILY READING
REFLECTION
When the Lord says, "Go"...
by Beth Voltmann
Oh, to have the faith of Abram, responding to God’s call without question. Turn back for a moment to the beginning of Abram’s story (Genesis 12:1-2) where we read about an extraordinary God reaching down to a very ordinary man, Abram, and telling him to “Go...” to a land the Lord would show him...with the promise that he would receive land, offspring and blessing.
So, ordinary Abram, his ordinary wife, Sarai, and his ordinary nephew, Lot, obediently pulled up their tent pegs and went. I find that astounding! I want to respond to God from such a heart of faith.
Living together as nomads, waiting for God’s direction in a strange land, could not have been easy. Is it any surprise that quarreling arose over the space needed for possessions, flocks and herds? Abram suggested that his nephew divide the land with him. Lot chose what seemed to be the best: well-watered land that looked like the garden of the Lord.
Did Abram feel cheated? Did this ordinary man complain? I don’t think so. Scripture tells us that the two men parted company and Abram lived in the land of Canaan while his nephew pitched his tent near Sodom. (Gen 13:12-13) Sadly, Lot was enticed by what he could see, but not all that glitters is gold. Sodom was a wicked and sinful city.
After Lot departed, God spoke to Abram once again...“I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted. Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you.” (Gen 13:16-17)
God was still with him. He could trust the promise. Abram was not concerned with the why or how. Instead, he chose to be patient and believe. The Lord said, “Go...” and once again, Abram pulled up his tent pegs and responded, moving his tent to a new location near the great trees of Mamre at Hebron (Gen. 13:18), walking by faith and not by sight.
“By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.” (Hebrews 11:8)
PRAYER
Lord, please help me to walk by faith and not by sight. Train me to listen for your voice and
respond without question. I know that your Word is true and your promises are eternal.
“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”
(Hebrews 11:1)
Thanks Beth! Very insightful.
Oh, to have a faith like Abraham. I have been sensing the word "Go" for awhile now. Go, tell my people, go share my love, go use your gifts, go with me and do that thing you love to do. It may be time to put on my hiking boots and give it a try.
Thank you, Beth, for this lovely devotion and the inspiration you gave me and others reading this who are hearing, "Go".