We read in Genesis 12:4, When Abram was seventy-five years old, he started out from Haran, as the LORD had told him to do; and Lot went with him. (GNB)
When Abram was seventy five years old, in obedience to what the Lord told him to do, he departed from Haran. When God spoke to Abram, he willingly left all that belonged to him, his people, his possessions, and walked out in obedience to God’s command.
Our God is one who gives counsel, but we must have a heart to receive it from Him, and a will to obey it. Those who live in obedience to the word of God are assured of being honored by God. All of us have desires in our hearts that we want to see fulfilled, those things that appear good and right in our thinking. However, the Lord is seeking for those who are ready to let go of their ambitions, to accomplish His will through their lives. We must seek the Lord to have the strength to heed His counsel, and effectuate the same.
Sadly today there are many who are so caught up with relationships, traditions and opinions of society, that they are unable to obey the Lord, and hence forfeit His blessings in their lives. When God created Adam and Eve, He blessed them. So also it is God’s will to bless each one of us, but it is only when we persevere in obedience, can we be recipients of God’s blessings.
Abraham went out by faith
It is written in Hebrews 11:8, “It was faith that made Abraham obey when God called him to go out to a country which God had promised to give him. He left his own country without knowing where he was going.” (GNB)
Abraham had absolute faith in God who called him, which resulted in him being willing to leave behind all that was his, to go to a country that God promised him. When God called Abraham, he implicitly obeyed without questioning God. Abraham obeyed God, not knowing where he was going. Abraham did not enquire of the Lord as to the details of the place He was taking him to, but simply journeyed out in complete obedience, and trust in God.
There are so many who repeatedly hear the word of God, but are struggling to obey His word. However, if we would like to be sure of what lies ahead of us, before we take a step of obedience, we are most certainly not walking by faith. We must be willing to submit to the Lord, and obey His word as He instructs us daily. Some have walked in obedience to the Lord earlier, but have chosen to ignore the admonition of God, and have thereby landed up with much trouble and confusion. For instance, when the Lord is prompting someone to take baptism, and they are putting it off for the sake of family, relations or traditions, they cannot experience the blessings that God intends to bestow on them. Instead of being worried about what will happen in the future, to us, our family or children, it would be good to decide to obey the Lord instantly, as and when He speaks to us. When we do so, the Lord will surely takes us to the next level in our spiritual journey.
We live in times when even to plan a holiday, people want to google everything about the place, weather, location, and place of stay before they even decide to venture out. That is not faith, for real faith is to undertake to go out like Abraham did, not knowing anything about what lies ahead of us.
God appeared and spoke to Abraham
We read in Genesis 12:7, The LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, "This is the country that I am going to give to your descendants." Then Abram built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him. (GNB)
It was only when Abraham walked out of Haran, placing his faith in God, did God appear to Abraham, and declare His promises to him. If Abraham had not journeyed out with faith and obedience, it is doubtful if he would have ever heard God speak to him. Abraham heard, he believed, obeyed God, and it was only then that God told him that this was the country that he was going to give his descendants. Abraham was so in awe of God, and His wonderful deeds that he built an altar to the Lord in that very place. God told Abraham that this land would be given to his descendants, but did not tell him when he would have a child of his own.
We must listen carefully to the word of God to fully understand His purposes for our lives. Often the answers from God may seem to be delayed, but let us rest assured that the Lord will accomplish everything in our lives in His perfect time. Every good and perfect gift comes from God above, and He will never procrastinate, but will certainly bless us in due time.
Sarai worked ahead of God
It is written in Genesis 16:3, After Abram had lived in Canaan for ten years, Abram's wife Sarai took her Egyptian slave Hagar and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife. (GW)
Abram lived in the land of Canaan for ten years, and this was the land that God had promised to give Abram and his descendants. Abram’s wife Sarai, was overcome with worry, and doubted that her old frail body would be able to bear a child as God had promised. Sarai decided to give her slave Hagar as wife to her husband Abram, so that she could have a child through her. Sarai thought she could make a way for them to have a child, but the consequence of it was that Hagar began to despise Sarai, and there was total confusion in the family.
When God makes a promise He is faithful to fulfill it, though it may take a while. We must be reminded that worry and faith are opposite poles, and contrary to each other. Faith will spur us on to look to the Lord who promised, but worry will keep us focused on our present situations, weaknesses and constantly discourage us. We will ultimately become people of faith or of worry based on what we focus on in life.
The promises of God will be fulfilled no matter how impossible they sound. The Lord promised many hundreds of years ago that a virgin will conceive, and bring forth a son. This was duly fulfilled in God’s time by the birth of Jesus through Mary who was a virgin. When God has made a promise, the problem may seem complicated, the answer may be delayed but the Lord will certainly always keep His promise.
The Lord’s promise is that He has assured us of a firm house this year. Though the answers may seem out of sight, we must press on with faith, for the Lord will at the right time accomplish everything for us.
The consequence of Sarai’s decision
We read in Genesis 16:16, Abram was 86 years old when Hagar gave birth to Ishmael. (GW) and also in Genesis 17:1, When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, "I am the Almighty God. Obey me and always do what is right. (GNB)
When Ishmael was born Abram was 86 years old, and until Abram turned 99 which was a long gap of 13 years, the Lord did not speak to Abram. Initially Abram and Sarai were rejoicing that they had a son in Ishmael. However, the very son whom they presumed would bring joy, brought to their family turmoil and confusion.
We must remember that as long as we strive in our flesh, the Lord will remain silent. But, when we cease from all our efforts, and rely on Him only then will the Lord communicate with us. Many are living in this period of silence, only because they have rejected the word of God, and are relying on their own understanding. It is only as long as we heed the voice of God will there be peace in our hearts. The moment we refuse to listen we will have a life filled with chaos, and perplexity. If ever we should think that we earned a blessing by our own achievement, it will definitely end in sorrow. On the other hand we are assured in Proverbs 10:22, that the The blessing of the LORD makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow with it. (NLT)
Our every decision should be based on the word of God, and in line with the will of God. If we are keen to hear the voice of God, these decisions should never be based on our flesh. For so many people, self is so prominent, sitting on the throne of their hearts, that they are unable to discern the voice of God anymore. Only if we crucify our flesh and self, repent and turn back, will we be able to hear the voice of God distinctly. Let us submit our wills to the will of the Almighty God, for He has promised to send us His word, and heal us.
There is a point to rejoice in this incident, for we realize that God is gracious, and though Abram had failed, the Lord still restored him, and spoke to him. For those of us who have failed or strived in our own strength, when we repent and turn to the Lord, He is willing to take us, and reestablish us again. We are exhorted in 1 John 1:9, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (ESV)
We read in in Genesis 17:1, When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, "I am the Almighty God. Obey me and always do what is right. (GNB)
At the ripe old age of 99, God appeared to Abram, and assured Him that He was the Almighty God. God also commanded Abraham to obey Him, and always do what is right. Abraham had not waited on God, had gone astray, so the Lord had to remind him to get back, live in obedience to God, and do that which pleased the Lord.
The influence Moses’ mother had on him
When Moses was born, Pharaoh the king of Egypt passed an edict that all Hebrew male babies be thrown into the river Nile. Moses’ mother saw her baby boy, and realized that the child she had borne was a gift from God. She perceived that the child God gave her was not meant to die, and so did all she could to hide the child for three months. When it became impossible for her to hide him any longer, she by faith made a basket of bulrushes, coated it with slime and pitch, laid it among the reeds in the river. This was noticed by Pharaoh’s daughter the princess, who realized that this was a Hebrew baby, but she took pity on him. Moses’ sister Miriam made the best use of the opportunity, and offered to bring a lady who could nurse the baby. She brought Moses’ mother to take care of him. Baby Moses was now under the care of his own mother, with the protection, and backing of Pharaoh’s daughter.
Moses was probably with his own mother for about three years before he went back to the palace of Pharaoh. In those three short years, Moses’ mother imbibed deep into his heart, his true identity, and all the purposes that God had for him.
It is vital that we too recognize that all the blessings we have in our lives are sent from God’s hands, especially our family and children. There are so many parents who are giving so much of time, and effort for their children to achieve in this world, but have failed to teach them who they are in Christ, and all that Jesus has done for them. Education, career are important, but if we fail to give our children God, they will grow up to be adults who have everything but are of no use to the Kingdom of God, before whom each one of us must stand one day. It is important to encourage our children to participate in classes held exclusively for them. If we miss out on teaching our children all about the Lord when they are young, and still holding our hands, one day they will go astray and we will have no hold over them anymore. We live in days when children are being bombarded with every form of sin and temptation. It is only when we train them to live godly lives, will they be able to stand firm when faced with the onslaught of the enemy.
Moses ran ahead of God
It is recorded in Exodus 2:11 -12, When Moses had grown up, he went out to visit his people, the Hebrews, and he saw how they were forced to do hard labor. He even saw an Egyptian kill a Hebrew, one of Moses' own people. Moses looked all around, and when he saw that no one was watching, he killed the Egyptian and hid his body in the sand. (GNB)
We read in Act 7:23-25, When he was 40 years old, he decided to visit his own people, the Israelites. When he saw an Israelite man being treated unfairly by an Egyptian, he defended the Israelite. He took revenge by killing the Egyptian. Moses thought his own people would understand that God was going to use him to give them freedom. But they didn't understand. (GW)
We also read in Exodus 2:15, When the king heard about what had happened, he tried to have Moses killed, but Moses fled and went to live in the land of Midian.
Moses had now been in the palace of Pharaoh for a long time. He was well versed and educated in all the skills of the Egyptians, but one day when Moses went out, and saw an Egyptian ill-treating an Israelite, Moses decided to use his strength to mete out justice. He killed the Egyptian and hid the body in the sand. Moses thought that the Hebrew people would understand that God was using him to bring them freedom from the Egyptian bondage. However, when the King heard of it, he wanted to have Moses killed, and therefore, Moses fled to the land of Midian.
Moses had a call, knew who he was, understood that God had a purpose for his life, but he was a bit hasty. Moses was forty years old, he was a strong man, tried to work out the deliverance of the Israelites with his own strength. Moses lost everything, and ended up in the wilderness of Midian. From being in the splendor of a palace, he was now reduced to the position of a mere shepherd, who tended his father-in-law’s sheep. For forty long years Moses’ life continued this way with no change. God had to use these forty long years to turn Moses from being dependent on his own strength to totally relying on God.
All of us can look back on our lives, and think of those times when we were impulsive, and took those decisions which we have regretted later.
God speaks to Moses
We read in Exodus 3:1-4, One day while Moses was taking care of the sheep and goats of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, he led the flock across the desert and came to Sinai, the holy mountain. There the angel of the LORD appeared to him as a flame coming from the middle of a bush. Moses saw that the bush was on fire but that it was not burning up. "This is strange," he thought. "Why isn't the bush burning up? I will go closer and see." When the LORD saw that Moses was coming closer, he called to him from the middle of the bush and said, "Moses! Moses!" He answered, "Yes, here I am." (CEV)
After forty long years the Lord came back to call Moses by name. He reinstated him, called him back, and empowered him to be the deliverer for God’s people from the cruel bondage of Pharaoh and the Egyptians.
The Lord who called us is faithful, but if we want Him to work in and through us, we must most certainly depend on God completely, and not on our self. We must repent and turn back to God if we desire for Him to speak to us.
God fulfilled His promise to Abraham and Sarah
God is faithful, He did not forget his promise to Abraham. God blessed Abraham and Sarah with Isaac, the son of the promise. Galatians 3 beautifully contrasts between Ishmael and Isaac. While Ishmael was born according to the flesh, Isaac was born according to the promise. Paul takes great effort to explain in detail about the children of the law (as was Ishmael) and those who are children of the promise (as was Isaac) who are called by God, according to His grace. God’s will is that we stand on the grace and strength of God and not on our own achievements. In that very area where we fell the Lord is able to raise us up and make us stand. Isn’t is an amazing truth that the Lord reveals Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and not as the God of Ishmael. We too are children of the promise, and therefore let us walk in obedience to God and His word.
In those days people lived long, and so the thirteen years for Abram, and forty years for Moses may not be so significant. But for those of us who live now, our life on earth is short, and let us not allow our years to get wasted. We may have started off by faith, but somewhere if we have gone off track, let us repent, and turn back to God. May we repent to let God take over, so that His will can be accomplished in and through us. Let us remind ourselves from, 1 John 1:9, But if we confess our sins to God, he will keep his promise and do what is right: he will forgive us our sins and purify us from all our wrongdoing. (GNB) God does not discard us, but restores us, for He is a faithful God who wishes to take us, and use us mightily for His glory. Let us therefore walk in the Spirit, and be led by the Holy Spirit every single day.
Rev. F. Andrew Dixon
www.goodnewsfriends.net
Transcribed by: Sis. Esther Collins
