Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go out from your country, your relatives, and your father’s household to the land that I will show you.”
Into the Text
For some of us, family is difficult. It’s not a place where we feel most safe and known. For others, family is everything. During Abram’s time in history, family was vital. It was the cornerstone of society, providing survival, prosperity, and a future lineage. For God to command Abram to “go out” from his family was a profound challenge.
God didn’t say where He was sending Abram. He just said that He “will show” him. First God asked for obedience, then He promised revelation. As Abram obeyed, God provided direction. So often God does the same to us. Why does He do this?
Hebrews 11:8 says that “by faith Abraham obeyed.” God wanted to strengthen Abraham’s faith. Obedience grows our faith, and faith grows our obedience. When we bravely trust God’s direction and see that He is faithful, it reinforces our ability to trust Him again in the future.
Has God asked you to obey Him without revealing further details? Have you had to trust Jesus literally one step at a time as He slowly illuminated your path? That is walking by faith. As children of God, we can know that our Heavenly Father will not abandon us. No matter where He calls us, we will not “go out” alone. He will go before us, and He will be with us each step of the way.
Prayer
Lord God, help me obey you when you call me out of comfort. Help me obey you when the path ahead is unknown. Thank you for being with me every step of my life. Amen.