Go

Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you" - Genesis 12:1 I often wonder what went through Abraham's mind as he went. "God, are we there yet?" "Where are we going?" "Seriously, we're not there yet?" We aren't told what Abraham was thinking but we are told that Abraham did not know where he was going, "By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going." Hebrews 11:8 So many times we think that following God should be easy. If God has called me to do something then obviously I will want to do it and I will be happy in doing it. Yet, if we think about human nature that isn't always the case. For if that idea is true then where would faith be? If our desires always matched with God's desires for us then how would we ever be refined and/or stretched? As Abraham went I imagine that he had plenty of questions. Was he sure that he was doing what God wanted him to do? Was he sure that he was going in the right direction? Did he ever want to go home to where it was comfortable? I often think that Abraham had it easy - God told him what to do so obviously he knew exactly what he was supposed to do - all he had to do was follow. But if we take this idea and apply it to the Hebrews as they left Egypt we get a much different picture. God gave them signs and blessings throughout their journey: water from the rock, bitter springs turned sweet, the Red Sea becoming dry land so that they could cross, manna, Aaron's staff that budded, etc. Plus, God was in their midst in the Shechinah glory. Through all of this, the people doubted. They grumbled for the "easy" life of abuse and slavery in Egypt. At least there they knew where they were going and what they were doing. Even though God was in their midst, they were clueless as to what was going on. How true of us. How true of me. It is so easy to become one of the "stiff-necked people" that God wanted to wipe off of the face of the earth. Sometimes following in faith is just that - faith. There is no map. There is no way to see what lies ahead. We walk through life and we take the next step. And we walk. We do this by faith. The sermon on Sunday by Pastor Doug Ley was a powerful message to me. When we left church I told Melissa that God could not have spoken louder to me if He spoke audibly to me. Yet, as I get discouraged of the unsure path that God has laid out before me I think that Abraham had it easy - God spoke to him. The Hebrews had it easy - God led them. My hypocrisy knows no bounds. We walk by faith. Sometimes that means that we go places that we don't necessarily want to go yet we know that God will give us the strength to get there. He will give us the grace to make it. As His Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path I take the next step and I pray for the grace to make it through that step. One at a time. How? The Great I Am is with me. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; the God of David and the kings; the God of Daniel and the prophets; the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is with me. I see my struggles and I know that He gave all of those men strength to make it through and He brought them to where He wanted them to be. What an encouragement. What peace.