Friday 9 October, 2015

4 So Abram went, just as the Lord had told him. Lot went with him. Abram was 75 years old when he left Harran. 5 He took his wife Sarai and his nephew Lot. They took all the people and possessions they had acquired in Harran. They started out for the land of Canaan. And they arrived there. 6 Abram traveled through the land. He went as far as the large tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were living in the land. 7 The Lord appeared to Abram at Shechem. He said, “I will give this land to your family who comes after you.” So Abram built an altar there to honor the Lord, who had appeared to him. 8 From there, Abram went on toward the hills east of Bethel. He set up his tent there. Bethel was to the west, and Ai was to the east. Abram built an altar there and called on the name of the Lord. 9 Then Abram left and continued south toward the Negev Desert.

Verse 4 reads “So Abram departed as the Lord had instructed, and Lot went with him.” The words “as the Lord had instructed” jump out at me. They show Abram’s obedience and faith, in that he was willing to do what God had asked of him.

We each have different things God has instructed us in – from great big life decisions down to small daily habits. Abram/Abraham is known as the father of faith, and we need to take a leaf out of his book by acting in faithful obedience in our lives. Jesus encourages us in John 14, “If you love Me, obey my commandments.” Where is it in my life that I need to obey God’s instruction?

Lord, thank You that You speak. Thank You for revealing Yourself to all of us. Thank You for placing a unique call upon each of our lives, thank You for your instruction, and thank You that we can wholly trust You as we obey your instruction.

Written by Matt Samperi