Right now I feel like we can relate to Abraham's faith. It's been one year since we officially began our membership with Wycliffe, a chapter which will be coming to a close in a couple weeks. Check out what happened in one year of Abraham's life!
God gave him the vision that he would be the father of many nations, God gave him and his wife new names, and he circumcised his family and household as God commanded. He entertained 3 mysterious visitors who prophesied that Sarah would be give birth to a son with a year (at the ripe old age of 90). He reasoned with God not to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gommorah because his nephew Lot lived there. Angels warned Lot and his family to get out and they did but his wife looked back and she was turned to salt. Abraham packed up his family and household and moved to Negev. For fear of having his wife taken away he pretended she was his sister when the King took her for a wife, God warned the King in a dream that she was a married woman.
In that one year God showed up a lot in Abraham's life. He spoke to him directly and send angels. Abraham saw God's provision and God answered his prayers. Sounds kind of like our 2011 minus the visits from angels at least none that I know of ;-) But this whirlwind of faith building experiences was just the beginning. Abraham had no idea what he would soon be asked. Soon after Isaac was weaned and after Abraham had another run in with the King, who saw Abraham's faith this time.
Abraham's faith had been so built up through the other experiences of his life including the 99th year that he really could trust God to work it out. He couldn't see what God was going to do, but he knew God gave him his son, he knew God was going to make him the father of many nations, and he knew God told him to go make this sacrifice. This wasn't a one time faith event for Abraham, God had been building his faith so it was simple obedience and trust in God's character that gave Abraham the strength to obey God's commands when he couldn't see the outcome.
God
has made Himself real to us this past year as we have seen Him so
clearly meet every need we had and even above that. As we change
directions and look for a job and a house to settle into we are able to
completely trust Him again because He prepared our faith throughout the
last 12+ months. We don't know what's next, but we know God has something positive for us.
How has God energized your faith recently?
2 comments:
Thank you for sharing Cynthia. It is encouraging to read your re-cap of Abraham’s year and my heart is touched by your present day faith even though this particular chapter isn’t even completed yet…”thru it all, thru it all, I’ve learned to trust in Jesus, I’ve learned to trust in God” (is this song before your time?)
You are in my prayers…and, yes, God has energized my faith lately…thanks to your post, this is brought to the forefront of my thoughts. Thank you my sister. Praise God!
I love posts that dig into the Word and show how it's applicable present day! I recently read abouthow the Israelites would make markers or stones to commemorate important acts of God in their lives. They would tell their children every time they passed them why they were there. Then when times got rough (cause they always do!) they could remember how God showed up & out in the past. I just loved that!
Thank you for linking up today! :)
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