Daily Devotions
Genesis
"For what does the Scripture say? 'Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.'" Romans 4:3
Text: Genesis 12:1-20
A CHARACTERISTIC OF GENUINE FAITH
When God spoke to Noah, warning him about the Great Flood that He would send on earth, he listened most carefully. When God gave him instructions concerning the building of an Ark to house his family and the animals and birds that God wanted to preserve alive, Noah obeyed.
“Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him,
so he did.”GENESIS 6:22
We see the same characteristic in Abram as he listened to the message God gave him. There was full and intelligent obedience to the Lord’s word.
“So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him,
and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old
when he departed from Haran. Then Abram took Sarai his wife
and Lot his brother’s son, and all their possessions that
they had gathered, and the people whom they had acquired
in Haran, and they departed to go to the land of Canaan.”GENESIS 12:4-5
ABRAM’S COMPREHENSION OF GOD’S WORD OF PROMISE
God spoke only to Abram, neither to Lot nor even to Sarai! However, he must have shared with his family concerning his decision to leave Haran and to travel to the land of Canaan. He was not a young man at that time, for he was seventy years old when he began the long journey to Canaan. Let us be challenged by the way Abram understood God’s word to him.
1. Instant Obedience
God’s Word must be obeyed – instantly! There is not a hint of any foot dragging on the part of Abram at all! He made up his mind that he would obey the Lord and he began to make plans for the trip to Canaan.
2. Full Obedience
The move to Canaan was to be a full and complete one. There was no thought of ever returning to Haran! He gathered all his possession that he had acquired in Haran and took everything he owned with him to Canaan!
3. Open to others
Abram kept the door open to others who might want to join him. The Lord did say that those who would bless him would themselves be blessed. Lot decided that he would go to Canaan with his uncle Abram!
Abram’s comprehension of God’s Word to him was truly impressive!