Proverbs 6-7
2 Corinthians 2

“The LORD had said to Abram, ‘Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.” — GENESIS 12:1

Abram’s story casts a long shadow throughout the Bible. He is mentioned by this or his later name, Abraham, over 300 times, including more than 80 times in the New Testament. Those who practice one of the three monotheistic religions Judaism, Christianity and Islam—all hold Abram in a revered position.

But Abram’s relationship with God did not come automatically. There were peaks and valleys, high moments of elation with God and low moments of disobedience and deception. Abram’s walk with God was a journey, as it is for every Christian. All kinds of things happen to us externally, but God’s primary interest is in what is happening to us internally. Whether good or bad, they become God’s workshop for making us into who He wants us to be. This was true for Abram, as it is for us, and we will often discover the deepest work God does in our lives is accomplished through our toughest circumstances.

Abram was called to leave his country, his people and his household. He had a choice: obey God or disobey Him; trust God or distrust Him. It was a choice between the comfortable and familiar or the unpredictable and uncertain, a choice between the easy road or the challenging road. We are all called to make similar choices, but in our 21st-century thinking, that would be high risk. Classic wisdom of our day usually starts with the end in mind, but with God, we do not always know what the end is going to be. We want all our ducks neatly in a row—the
what, the how, the where and the when—but our journey with God is not likely to be so straightforward. We are going to meet with obstacles and setbacks that may be very discouraging, but it is in these times that God is changing us on the inside, preparing and equipping us for His purpose. 

The key to accomplishing anything God has called us to do is not in knowing the how, when, what or where, but in knowing who we are going with. That was the issue with Abram. He had no idea of where God was calling him, but he knew who he was going with. If our security lies in knowing what is going to happen next, we are not living the way God intended. Our security lies in God alone, and though our journey with Him will often include a trek through the wilderness, it is lived out of a relationship with a God who knows what He is doing and who is totally capable and totally trustworthy.

PRAYER: Dear Heavenly Father, I pray for a deeper work of Your Spirit to change me into who You want me to be and to equip me to be used by You. Thank You, Lord.