Genesis 12:1 (KJV) 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
Sometimes it seems that the more I study God's word and then the more I try to apply His word, the more backwards I feel. But, isn't that how Jesus works? He turns the world's ways upside down or rather right side up. In Genesis 12:1, God calls Abram, God asks for obedience from Abram, then God promises a revelation to Abram. So the order is a Calling, Obedience and Revelation. Okay, so far, so good. Sounds pretty simple to me -- God calls Abram to leave his country, his family and his father and go to Canaan. Then if you read further this story unfolds.
Genesis 12:5-9 (KJV) And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came. 6 And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land. 7 And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him. 8 And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD. 9 And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south.
It is here that I noticed what Abram did. The first thing he did was not follow God's calling the way God intended. Abram gathered up his family and his servants and went on the journey to Canaan. It's like Abram said, "Ok Lord, I will answer your call, but on MY terms. As a matter of fact God, I am going to check this place out first and see what it looks like for myself." I love the way the Holy Spirit says, "And the Canaanites were then in the land." You know what Abram saw? He saw adversity, hurdles, obstacles, hindrances, inconveniences, and the like. So, what does Abram do? He just moves on down river.
This realy it home to me, it sounded just like me at times. One more verse and then I will wrap this up.
Genesis 13:14-15 (KJV) And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:15 For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.
So, now Abram is separated from Lot, just as God had originally intended. God then showed or revealed to Abram the Land. But doggone it, what does Abram do? He just eases up river some more. Just like me, he just couldnt quite get out of the old land and fully into the new land. Its so hard to leave the "old" behind and fully immerse ourselves into the "new life" promised by Christ.
Looks simple enough to me. A calling, obedience and then revelation. Although at times, what I do is say, "Lord show me first, then I will obey and answer your call" or in other words, "Show me Lord where Your calling is leading me; then I will decide whether it's worth obeying You or not." I think I have it backwards, how about you?
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Sometimes it seems that the more I study God's word and then the more I try to apply His word, the more backwards I feel. But, isn't that how Jesus works? He turns the world's ways upside down or rather right side up. In Genesis 12:1, God calls Abram, God asks for obedience from Abram, then God promises a revelation to Abram. So the order is a Calling, Obedience and Revelation. Okay, so far, so good. Sounds pretty simple to me -- God calls Abram to leave his country, his family and his father and go to Canaan. Then if you read further this story unfolds.
Genesis 12:5-9 (KJV) And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came. 6 And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land. 7 And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him. 8 And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD. 9 And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south.
It is here that I noticed what Abram did. The first thing he did was not follow God's calling the way God intended. Abram gathered up his family and his servants and went on the journey to Canaan. It's like Abram said, "Ok Lord, I will answer your call, but on MY terms. As a matter of fact God, I am going to check this place out first and see what it looks like for myself." I love the way the Holy Spirit says, "And the Canaanites were then in the land." You know what Abram saw? He saw adversity, hurdles, obstacles, hindrances, inconveniences, and the like. So, what does Abram do? He just moves on down river.
This realy it home to me, it sounded just like me at times. One more verse and then I will wrap this up.
Genesis 13:14-15 (KJV) And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:15 For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.
So, now Abram is separated from Lot, just as God had originally intended. God then showed or revealed to Abram the Land. But doggone it, what does Abram do? He just eases up river some more. Just like me, he just couldnt quite get out of the old land and fully into the new land. Its so hard to leave the "old" behind and fully immerse ourselves into the "new life" promised by Christ.
Looks simple enough to me. A calling, obedience and then revelation. Although at times, what I do is say, "Lord show me first, then I will obey and answer your call" or in other words, "Show me Lord where Your calling is leading me; then I will decide whether it's worth obeying You or not." I think I have it backwards, how about you?
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