“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: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.” – Genesis 12:1-4 KJV
Just as God didn’t hesitate to offer Abraham His blessing, Abraham didn’t hesitate to open his arms to receive it. Indeed, God wants to bless us abundantly, but before we can receive His blessing we have to step out in faith, doing what He tells us to do and going wherever He leads. Moreover we need to act without hesitation, just like Abraham did. For God knows what’s best for us, and we must come to understand that He will always give us what we need. But people often get caught up in a slumber of doubt when it comes to exercising faith in God, thus missing out on many opportunities that would have resulted in them reaping lasting rewards. If we would look to God as would a child to a loving Father, we would surely discover that He only has what is good in mind for us.
And here’s something that I find to be most intriguing: Abraham was 75 years old when God called Him out in this way. This suggests that he was already settled. How many people do you know of, that if they were in the same situation, would have stepped out in faith, like Abraham did? Would you? It’s likely that many would see no reason to move away from their homeland under such circumstances. They would probably reason that they’re all set and in need of nothing more. Of course, we should also keep in mind that he wasn’t merely leaving his homeland, but certain family members and friends, too. So, he was ready to give up a lot! But for Abraham life wasn’t about wealth, power, and popularity; instead, what was important to him was that he obeyed the voice of God. You see, Abraham lived by the rule that wherever God was, that’s where he needed to be too. Hence the presence of God was far more valuable to him than anything else.
But there’s something else to consider here: Abraham didn’t just step out in faith to receive a blessing, but to be a blessing. For God assured him that all the nations would be blessed as a result of him stepping out in faith, including us. How often do we refuse to be a blessing to others because we don’t want to step outside of our comfort zones, to go where God is leading? Our problem is that we often want to know all of the details first. And if the details aren’t to our liking we assume that it must not be God’s will. But is that really faith? I think not!
Listen, godly faith isn’t a comfortable place; it’s an expression of obedience. And until we begin to look at the concept of faith aright, we will not reap the full measure of God’s blessing. Instead, we will demonstrate that we really don’t value and appreciate the presence of God in our lives as much as we say we do. In other words, our works won’t match our words.
How far are you willing to go for God? Perhaps He’s speaking to you now, and wants to bless you in greater measure, but you’re allowing something to keep that from happening. What’s more precious to you, the presence of God or that which is keeping you from receiving His blessing? Don’t worry about details. Instead, walk away from what God wants you to leave behind. Step out in faith. Trust in God without hesitation. Step into the life that He wills. You can’t lose when you go with God. So, go with God; don’t wait any longer. Be blessed and be a blessing!
