Faith — The Call – Wednesday
TODAY’S VERSE
Genesis 12:4
So Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. (ESV)
I broke my leg while riding a bike when I was 10 years old. It was a severe break requiring 3 weeks in the hospital. I had to be put to sleep in order for the bone to be reset, and after a little over 2 weeks in traction, I was put to sleep again while placed in a body cast for the next 8 weeks. The whole experience was rough. But I remember days along the way when the orthopedic doctor would come to the hospital and talk about how well things were going, that progress was being made. Imagine if, after one of those positive reports, I had decided that I was healed enough. Attempting to jump out of bed on that still-injured leg would not have ended well. As much as I was healing, I still wasn’t healed.
The Bible uses just a few verses to describe God’s calling of Abram in Genesis 12. It could easily be assumed that God commanded, and Abram immediately complied. It didn’t quite work out that way. Abram was in Ur when God called him to go, but he ended up stalling out in Haran as he dealt with family matters. At this point, he had only partially obeyed what God had commanded him to do. In the same way that partial healing isn’t being healed, partial obedience isn’t obedience. It’s actually complete disobedience. We tend to want credit for what progress we’ve made, even though we’re still short of what God has asked. Don’t expect God to bless partial obedience. If you’re rude to someone in the parking lot, you’re still rude even if you just walked out of church. God won’t bless that behavior. If you ask God for success in your business but you’re being dishonest with the books, God won’t bless that. As Scott Nickell said in his message Sunday, “God doesn’t bless lies. God won’t pour out his favor on your sin or mine.”
Later on in Genesis 22, we see a different response from Abraham. When God did the unthinkable by commanding Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac as a test, Abraham acted swiftly. The Bible says Abraham “rose early in the morning” to set out as God had instructed. Maybe this response was an indication of Abraham’s growth. Or maybe, like Abraham, we’re just inconsistent in our response to God.
APPLICATION
It’s possible that an area where you’re only being partially obedient has already come to mind. What’s holding you back from being fully obedient? What one step can you take today in the direction of full obedience?
PRAYER
Father, like Abraham, I have moments of obedience and moments where I think I know better. May I see your grace as an invitation to trust that obedience to You will always bring life.
