The Promise of God to Lead Us

 

Now the LORD said1 to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Genesis 12:1-3 ESV).

 

Yesterday I wrote about the practice of walking by faith even when we don’t have sight to direct us. The question is “how?” We find the answer in our reading from yesterday and repeated today. It would be an understatement to say that these verses are a pivotal passage in Scripture. Many of the key events in God’s calling and saving his people flow from this passage. Before sending Abraham out on his world-saving mission, God loads him up with an armful of promises. God says, in effect, “I will give you my presence, my guidance, my protection, and my favor.”

 

It’s easy to focus on everything Abraham is leaving behind as he follows God’s call. But we must remember what Abraham receives as he follows. God promises that Abraham will inherit a great land and become the father of a great nation, and that all peoples will be blessed through him. Later God made this even clearer by sending his Son, Jesus, born as a descendant of Abraham, to be the promised Savior of the world. Abraham didn’t fully understand all the implications of God’s promises. He didn’t have to. God just called him to walk forward with confidence, trusting in his word.

 

In many ways, it’s no different for us today. Though we have a fuller revelation of God’s plan than Abraham did, we do not see all its glorious details. This means that faith is still required if we want to see God’s great blessings, and to be God’s great blessing to others. The promise He has made to us is even greater than that of Abraham’s promise. He will never leave us or forsake us. He will work all things to our good. He will prepare a place for us and come again to take us to where He is for eternity! We can trust Him to keep those promises.