When God wants to teach you something, he often takes you on a journey.  This could be a literal or figurative journey.  Today’s text is about a literal journey of faith.  In what has by then become a very populous world, God focuses in on one man, Abram, and invites him to trust God.  He is asked to forsake his family and country of origin to travel far to a land that God will show him. God promises to bless all the families of the earth through Abram’s offspring.  Christians have always understood this to ultimately be fulfilled in Christ (see Galatians 3:15-16).

Abram is also promised to inherit land and innumerable descendants. As soon as he arrives in the land of Canaan, he is met with two problems: the land is already occupied but in famine and his wife is barren.  Although Abram immediately trusted God’s call and went on the journey in faith, he responds in fear and self-reliance when presented with these obstacles.  By the end of his life, however, he is recognized as one of the heroes of the faith.  Hebrews 11:8-10 celebrates his faith. His trust in God grew over the years of serving him.

God teaches us faith through the journey of life.

Abram did not see the fulfilment of God’s promises in his lifetime. Likewise, we won’t either, unless Christ returns soon.  The book of Revelation gives us a glimpse of what is to come but we will have to wait in hope of what we do not yet see.  Through this waiting and journeying, we are being prepared for eternal dwelling with God. 

Taking It Home:  Consider the journeys on which God has taken you.  Reflect on how they have or have not resulted in more faith. Ask him to help you respond well to his leading in this current season.