Week 2 / Patriarchs

God’s Call to Abraham

Read: Genesis 12:1-9

SOAP:Genesis 12:1-2

"Now the Lord said to Abram,

“Go out from your country, your relatives, and your father’s household

to the land that I will show you.

Then I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you,

and I will make your name great,

so that you will exemplify divine blessing." (NET)

Into the Text

Six chapters after God’s promise to send a Rescuer, we’re still left waiting. But in Genesis 12, we meet a man named Abram. Through Abram, God would reveal more about who this Rescuer would be.

Just like God called Noah to something out of the ordinary, so He did the same with Abram. Abram was living in Ur, which is in modern-day Iraq. God told Abram to go to a land that He would show him. In that place, God would bless him and make him great.

So Abram obeyed and started on the long journey with his family. When they arrived in the land of Canaan, God promised Abram that the land would belong to him and his descendants. Abram responded in worship.

As we’re looking for the coming Rescuer, we’re starting to narrow the focus down. No longer are we focusing on all humanity, but now we’re looking at one specific man.

Abram shows us what radical faith in God looks like. God doesn’t have to spell everything out in order for us to trust Him. More than likely, He is only going to give us one piece of the puzzle at a time.

Even when we can’t see what’s ahead, we know that God does, and He will direct us along the way. One day, we will be in heaven with God where all things will be made new.

Prayer

God, thank you that you know the whole story from beginning to end and that I can trust you. Help me to walk faithfully and obediently even when you’re calling me to something new. Amen.