Gracious God, grant Your grace to the life and needs of this dear reader; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Our text for today comes from Genesis 12: 1 God told Abram: "Leave your country, your family, and your father's home for a land that I will show you. 2 I'll make you a great nation and bless you. I'll make you famous; you'll be a blessing. 3 I'll bless those who bless you; those who curse you I'll curse. All the families of the Earth will be blessed through you." 4 So Abram left just as God said, and Lot left with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. (The Message)
I hated leaving the familiar. For over twelve years I had known only one house, my house; one street, my street, one creek, my creek, one railroad tracks, my railroad tracks; one store, my store, one church, my church; and on and on. Yet, the economy in my hometown made it necessary for us to move. And you and I know people who have never left precisely for the same reason, they love the familiar. When I left my hometown I also left behind family and friends. I was glad to be reunited with my Dad who had been living apart from us for six months, but sad because my grandmother and aunts and uncles and cousins were staying behind. I was too young to use the telephone to make long distance calls and not yet skilled enough to write a letter; how would I stay in touch? The same holds true for Abram. God comes to him and tells him to leave his country, his family and his father's house to go to a land that God will show you. That would have been enough for many to have said, "Let me ask for a reconsideration..." The promise was great, Abram would be made into a nation blessed by God. Abram would be made famous and be a blessing to others. In fact, God continued, those who bless you will be blessed and those who curse you will be cursed. And get this, all the people of the Earth will be blessed through you, Abram. And Abram obeyed.
How about you? Sometimes we don't even want to get up out of our pew or chair in worship for a time of greeting or passing the peace. We can't fathom the idea of walking across the room to speak to someone we hardly know or have already judged as not worthy of our company; how could God use us in that state of mind? Our spiritual journey during this time of prayer and fasting should speak to our obedience to God and how ready we are to be born anew with a spiritual perspective and a willingness to trust and obey God. How about you? Are you ready to journey based on discipleship not by distance?
PRAYER: Loving God, forgive me the times I have not been willing to listen nor obey You. As You speak to me about obedience , let me hear and receive based on my discipleship and not to judge by distance. Help me realize as we leave home or family or the familiar, we're still always in Your presence and how can that be an unfamiliar place with You by our side? I ask and pray this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
