Morning Devotionals
by Don Emmitte
 
April 12th, 2008

 

"A Man of Faith (Part 1)"
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The Lord had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." So Abram left, as the Lord had told him. (Genesis 12:1-4 NIV).

 

I enjoy reading the life of Abraham. When our reading today was written, he is already a hero of the faith. Notice the verse says "The Lord HAD said". It was past tense, because as it is written, the act has already occurred. God told Abram to go, he obeyed, and we read about it from Moses in retrospect.

 

So, it is important to remember as we study this “man of faith” for the next few days, we are reading history. It certainly didn't happen yesterday. The chronicle of his life, and all the others in the Bible, are there to point us to an awesome God. We are to study Abraham, not so we can be impressed with him, even though we are, but so God can impress us. Abram left his country not on some whim, but because he had been visited by the Creator. He had met up with the Lord whose presence was unlike any Abram had ever met before. Abram could go into uncharted territory, because he had an encounter with the Living God!

 

From day one in Abram's journey with God we learn that life as Abram has known it will never be the same. Always before Abram had been able to plan his own way. He had been able to make real decisions, which would affect his future. Now, if he were going to follow God, he would go where God told him to go. He would do what God told him to do, and he would trust God to provide for him along the way.

 

If you are very much like me, there are always “journeys” that the Lord asks me to make that might not at first glance appear very logical. I have found that the decision to allow God's plan to be mine is essential to success. That requires that I set about to trust and obey God, just as Abram decided to do. It requires that I place my faith firmly in the same God Abram chose to follow. I hope that you will come to the same conclusion through these devotionals!