On Prayer (Gen 12:1-3)

“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.”  - Gen 12:1-3

Abram is the forefather of all who have faith, and his life story is the foreshadow of the life of faith we as God’s people would seek to live.  In some very real and pragmatic ways, the promise given to Abram is the story of the rest of the Bible.  That’s saying a lot, because these verses mean a lot.  Such a great promise, such a great word from the Lord to a single man!   In thinking of the awesome implications of the promise, one could be envious of Abram!  But before we get too carried away, we do well to remember that Abram (or Abraham, as he is later renamed) waited for the fulfillment of this blessing.  It’s true that God blessed him financially in his lifetime, but there was a serious time gap between receiving the Word from God and the realization of all He had said.  It would be decades before he saw his first child.  Abram would be promoted to glory long before his offspring would be called a great nation.  In fact, in many respects he’s still waiting to see the last part of God’s blessing come to complete fruition, because to our day there are yet thousands of people groups that do not have an indigenous Gospel witness; Many peoples now have the blessing of God – but not yet all.  That day (Rev 5:9, 7:9) is still to come.  Abraham will see that day, for he yet lives on account of his faith in God.

Surely we who have that same faith will also see that same day, for it is true that God speaks to all He calls.  His call is not just a call to eternal life – something to be realized only in heaven - but a call to the abundant life to be lived out in the here and now of daily living.   It falls to us – Abraham’s spiritual children – to participate in bringing it about.  Is that not an encouragement to you?  Remember that as glorious as the result is, God’s call to Abram in the here and now of hearing it is to do a difficult thing.  To leave the culture he grew up in, to leave those he knows and cares for, to leave extended family and all the comfort that they bring.   To turn away from culture, cares and comfort and to go, not even knowing exactly where, only trusting that God will continue to guide and direct.  Hearing His Voice meant it would fall to Abram to bring the blessing of relationship with God to a people who do not yet know Him.  In so doing, Abram would get to know Him even more.

Maybe that’s not what Abram was expecting to hear from God.  But nevertheless, “The Lord had said.”  And what good is it to us to hear Him if we do not intend to obey Him?  Mark Batterson writes in “The Circle Maker”, “There is nothing God loves more than keeping His promises. []  He most certainly won’t bless disobedience, but He most certainly will bless obedience.  If you take God at His Word, you’ll make the joyful discovery that God wants to bless you far more than you want to be blessed.  And His capacity to give is far greater that you capacity to receive.”