Uncertain of His Destination, Abraham Departed.

Beginning today in our daily devotionals, we will look at how God changed the character of Abram and made him into the father of those who have faith in the God of Abraham. Over the next two to three weeks, we will learn how God works to grow and mature those willing to walk by faith. Like us, we will see that he was not perfect, but he was ready to learn to trust the Lord. His walk of faith began when the Lord spoke to him, giving him promises concerning his future:

1The LORD had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. 2“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 (Genesis 12:1-2).

We often don’t stop to consider what it cost Abram to leave Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq) and walk by faith step by step. While we may have the advantage of knowing what God was leading him into, when called to take his first step of faith, Abram did not know what the end of his faith walk would be like:

8By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God (Hebrews 11:8-10; emphasis added).

He embarked on this journey into the unknown, leaving behind all he knew: his country, relatives, father's house, and the inheritance he would have gained by staying. One might worry about the language barrier awaiting him in unfamiliar territory, and what about provisions for a journey without a definite timeframe? Would he have enough money for a trip of this magnitude? What if he encountered thieves and was robbed along the way? It is essential to understand that God asked Abram to undertake such a journey fraught with significant risk. But that is what this faith walk is all about. One person has said that faith is spelled R.I.S.K. It remains the same today. To walk a life of faith in God is never a comfortable "walk in the park."

Consider what the journey was like for his wife, Sarai, to leave family and friends and live in a tent. The Scriptures tell us they did not know where they were going when Abram and Sarai left. How do you think Abram broke the news to his wife, Sarai? Somehow, he had to explain to her that he had heard from God and that they were to uproot from their home and city to live in a tent in a different land. Don't you think she asked him where they were going? At that point, Abram could not even tell her where they were going! We do not know if Sarai had any resistance to the move. Wouldn’t she have wanted to think through all the practicalities? She must also have been a woman of faith because we read of no opposition from her. They were merely to uproot themselves and get on the road. God would lead them only as they acted in faith based on what He had told them up to that point.

In the Hebrews 11:8-10 passage of Scripture above, what motivated Abraham was a vision of eternal things—the eternal city and God's reward. Have you ever had to make a significant change in your life’s path? Was there a cost and compensation for it? What battles did you face in your mind when you took that step? Sometimes God will require you to step out in faith, not knowing the result or where the journey will lead you. Is that a word for you today? Keith Thomas

If you’d like to share these thoughts on social media, there are Facebook and Twitter links at the bottom of the page, as well as a link to send an email.

Taken from the complete study found in the series on Abraham. Go to All Studies, scroll down to The Faith of Abraham, and click on Study 1. Abraham: The Man of Faith