Where Are You?
Background Story: Abram (also called Abraham) was called by God to leave his home and to follow God into a new life. He is called the “Father of Faith” because of his tremendous faith in God. But just like us, Abram struggled with doubt.
Read Genesis 12:1-5
The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.
2 “I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.”
4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran. 5 He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Harran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there.
Big Idea: Pray God’s promises when patience gets hard.
God calls Abram to move out of his land where he had been prosperous and follow Him where He will lead. He promises that Abram will become a great nation. The problem is- Abram is 75 years old and he doesn’t have any children. How will he be a great nation without a family?
Fast forward eleven years. In Genesis 16, Abram is now 86 and still has no child. Because Sarai hasn’t had a baby yet, she decides to come up with plan B. Sarai gives her servant Hagar to Abraham to have a baby through her. So Abraham goes along with Sarai’s plan and it leads to disaster. It creates jealousy, hard feelings, and major consequences both short term and long term.
God’s best is always worth waiting for, but patience is hard for everyone. When we feel like God is taking a long time, we can be tempted to come up with plan B and accept “good enough” instead of God’s best. Instead of settling for plan B, let’s pray for fresh eyes to see what God is doing in this season of waiting. Throughout the Bible we see that when God calls His children to wait, it is always for a reason. Often seasons of waiting are actually season of preparation.
Next time you find yourself in a time of waiting, pray asking for help from the Holy Spirit to wait well. Speak God’s promises from His word, and trust Him that He is working in you in the waiting.
Promises of Faith:
I thank You God that You have a plan for me and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)
I thank You God that You will make all things work together for my good, even if life doesn’t feel good right now. (Romans 8:28)
I thank You God that You will give me the strength I need to accomplish anything You call me to. (Philippians 4:13)
I thank You God that You will never leave me and are with me in the waiting. (Joshua 1:9)
I thank You God that You bring peace regardless of the situation. (Philippians 4:6-7)
I thank You God that You never fail and are faithful. (Hebrews 10:23)
Takeaway Verse:
Song for Today:
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Dig Deeper: Romans 12:12, Galatians 6:9, Psalm 37, Luke 12:30-31, Proverbs 18:10, Psalm 75, Deuteronomy 29:29, 1 Kings 8:56, Ephesians 1:7-10, 2 Corinthians 1:20, Hebrews 12:1-2, Isaiah 55:8-11
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