The Lord said to Abram: Go from your land, your relatives, and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.–Genesis 12:1 NIV
God often calls us to go without us knowing the place to which he is calling us. He doesn’t want us to go begrudgingly but expectantly. To expectantly walk into the unknown takes faith. Hebrews 11:1 says, Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
Choosing to rely on faith instead of relying on what we see can be difficult. We often have a tight grip on the people and things around us. We cling to the familiar and love to be nestled in our comfort zones. But God specializes in calling us to places where we must rely on him, not the familiar. I'm instantly reminded of Abraham when looking for examples of relying on God in the Bible to model.
In Genesis 12:1, “The Lord said to Abram: Go from your land, your relatives, and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.” Abraham was told to leave his land, family, and even his father's home, which he had grown accustomed to. He was told to move from a familiar land to another land that God would eventually show him.
Stepping into places without knowing its scenery beforehand is like walking by faith and not sight, where uncertainty and anticipation mingle. But I love how God’s instruction of “go” was coupled with a promise: I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, I will curse anyone who treats you with content, and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you”(Genesis 12:2-3, NIV).
Walking by faith and not by sight becomes more achievable when we remember the promise God attached to the go. What happens when you go, but what you experience doesn't match the promise attached?
In such times, we must remember the commitment and trust in the one from whom the promise came. We can trust in God and his holiness. “For no word from God will ever fail” (Luke 1:37, NIV).
Remember the promise attached to your go, but put your trust in the promise keeper, not the promise. That’s what walking by faith is about.
Prayer: Thank you for calling me to do greater things beyond my imagination. As I navigate where you have called me, allow my mind to remember the promise. Most importantly, give me a heart that trusts you. Amen.
Your Turn: Has God called you to go? Where has he called you, and why? What’s God’s call for you? How has God taught you to walk by faith and not by sight?
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