Living by Faith
Bible Readings
- Genesis 15:4–6 - And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
- Genesis 12:1–3 - Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
- John 16:13 - Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
As part of growth in the Christian life, separation sometimes becomes inevitable. Before beginning something new, the Lord may sometimes ask us to let go of something we already possess. In Genesis 12:1–3, God told Abram that he would embark on a journey where he would have to leave his country, his people, and his father's house. For him, obedience meant saying goodbye to beloved relationships and things. But this faithful man did not hesitate. His strong faith helped him say “yes” to the Lord's call.
To faithfully obey God, it is sometimes necessary to move forward in uncertainty. Abram was instructed to set out without knowing where he was going. Imagine telling your friends, “I'm moving, but I don't know where I'm going.” This uncertainty did not stop Abram. His unwavering trust in his Heavenly Father allowed him to answer God’s call with all his heart — even though all the details were unknown. Abram was spiritually ready and agreed without hesitation when God called.
To follow God means to live by faith. This means that we trust the Holy Spirit to guide us, even if we don't fully understand everything (John 16:13); we believe that God is always working both for our good and for His glory; and we desire to please our Heavenly Father. May we all be ready, like Abraham, when the Lord calls.
🤔 Reflection
What might hold you back, or what can inspire you, to respond to the Lord's call without hesitation, just as Abraham did?
Photo by Image by Picsum Photos