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Seeking with Abraham Part 1

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If you’ve looked around my website, you’ve seen that the topic of Seeking the Lord led to a book by that title. What’s it all about? Here is an excerpt from chapter 1 to give you an idea.

Even though he lived almost 4,000 years ago, Abraham’s life still stands at the crossroads of human history as an example for us. The beginning of his incredible life is summed up in the following verse:

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. (Hebrews 11:8)

Traveling in the Desert
Traveling in the Desert

What is significant about him having faith and obeying God? For starters, most people do not have faith and do not obey God. Thus, Abraham demonstrated a willingness to be different from society in order to pursue the Lord. The other significant thing is that travel was risky business in ancient times. Abraham had no idea where God was sending him, and there were no highways with luxury buses, railroads with first-class seating, or airlines with direct travel. Abraham’s options were to travel on foot, on the back of an animal, or in a wagon. He would have to make do without any maps, motels, or sandwich shops along the way. And to top it all off, there was no moving company to ship his household goods. Saying yes to God was a huge commitment, even if he had a sense of adventure. Also, at his age, Abraham was probably past the point of thrill-seeking; he was already “seasoned” and would have been eligible for Social Security, had such a program existed.

Now the Lord had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you.” So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him, and [his nephew] Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. (Genesis 12:1, 4)

 Can you imagine being 75 years old and receiving a command to pack up and start a new life (and not at a retirement center)? We don’t know what questions or arguments went through Abraham’s mind, what fear or uncertainty he might have felt. But we know he obeyed, trusting God. What did Abraham trust God to do? Let’s take a look.

God’s Promises

God made some big promises when he told Abraham to leave:

“I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Genesis 12:2–3)

Abraham was trusting God to fulfill these remarkable promises. God said he would become a great nation, but at that time Abraham did not have a single child. Additionally, God promised to give Abraham great blessings and to make him a blessing to the whole world. What kind of person has faith to hear such promises? To what kind of person does God give such promises? Perhaps the person who seeks the Lord, has a desire to follow God, and is willing to obey Him. Yes, this is the type of person Abraham was.

And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. (James 2:23)

What kind of person are you? Do you desire to follow God? Do you have faith to receive His promises? If a 75-year-old can have faith to start a new life with a difficult journey, you can have such faith as well. Hopefully, Abraham and the other examples in this book will challenge and build your faith as you seek the Lord.

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