Genesis 12:1-5 NIV

[1] 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.

REFLECTION

There's so much in these verses that I want to linger here for a few days.

I love how the Bible simply says: "The Lord said to....". It doesn't tell us how God said it or try to explain that God speaks to His people. It simply assumes that our God is a God who communicates with His people in many and various ways. He is relational. He is personal. Of course God speaks to every one of His children.

"Go from your country, your people and your father’s household......"

Abram was told to leave where he was. To let go of all he was familiar with. Even to separate from some people he loved. God's call often brings some degree of separation into our lives. There are some people and things that simply can't come on the journey. They will hold us back, hinder us, distract us, deter us. To cling to the comfortable is to forfeit the call.

"Go....to the land I will show you."

Not any land - but the specific, particular land God would show Abram. In the musical 'Joseph' there's a song: "Any Dream Will Do". When it comes to God's purpose for our lives any dream won't do! Only God's dreams will do. God is specific and particular in His calling on your life. Like Abram, you may not know all the details up front, but that doesn't mean there aren't details. The small print is revealed as the journey unfolds.

“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."

God is not afraid of us becoming great! In fact, He longs to see the greatness inside us be displayed to the watching world. This is so far removed from the "worm' theology that I have heard so frequently which emphasises our depravity and promotes false humility. Obedience always brings blessing, and in some cases that blessing will lead to prominence, prosperity or publicity. Other times it will be private and personal. However ALWAYS God's blessing should overflow from our lives to bless those around us. We are blessed to be a blessing.

"I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."

I have a 4 year old son, and if anyone hurt one hair on his head I would take it very personally! Such is the intimate covenant God has with His people. He takes how we are treated very personally. He defends His children, protects His people, vindicates His servants. That's why we can turn the other cheek, it's why we don't have to seek revenge when we are wronged. Our Father has our back.

Remember, in Acts 9, when Saul encountered Jesus on the Road to Damascus? He heard a voice that said:

[4] … “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” [5] “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied.

Saul had never physically encountered Jesus in his whole life as far as we know, yet Jesus said that Saul had been persecuting him. How was that? Because by attacking Jesus' followers, he was attacking Jesus' himself. Jesus is so personally and intimately connected with His people that he feels our afflications and experiences our pain as if it were his own. We are His body.

Know today that God longs to speak to you, He has specific plans for you, He desires to bless you in every way, and He fully understands and experiences your afflciations and heartaches.