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 kids. How is he going to be a great nation if he never has a family?
Fast forward eleven years. Abram is now 86 and still does not have any children. Has God forgotten him? Since God hasn’t delivered on His promise yet, his wife Sarai decides she needs to intervene and come up with plan B. In Genesis 16, we read, “Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian slave named Hagar; so she said to Abram, “The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.” Abram agreed to what Sarai said. So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian slave Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. He slept with Hagar, and she conceived.” As you can imagine, Abram having a baby with Sarai’s servant is a terrible idea! It creates jealousy, hard feelings, and major consequences both short term and long term.
Waiting and having patience is hard for everyone! When you feel like God has forgotten or isn’t doing things fast enough, it’s easy to be like Abraham and come up with plan B. But there is value in the waiting! If we take this time to lean into God instead of coming up with plan B, we will grow tremendously! Next time you find yourself in a time of waiting, if you speak God’s promises, the truth of His word will help you see beyond the temporary circumstance and trust that God is still at work. The truth expels Satan’s lies as we speak in faith that our God is still faithful!
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 make all things work together for my good. (Romans 8:28)
I thank You God that I can do all things through Your strength. (Philippians 4:13)
I thank You God that You are with me wherever I go. (Joshua 1:9)
I thank You God that You give me strength when I am weary. (Isaiah 40:31)
I thank You God that You are good. (1 Chronicles 16:34)
I thank You God that You never leave me or forsake me. (Deuteronomy 31:8)
I thank You God that in the midst of my problem, You promise me peace. (Philippians 4:6-7)
Takeaway Verse:
Song for Today:
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Similar Devotions: There’s Hope, The Stone Mover, Another in the Fire, Oh So Busy, A Position to Hear, Running the Race, Keep Reaching
