In our study, we’ve now reached the beginning of the story of Abraham. He is one of the great patriarchs of the Christian faith. We’ll spend the next several weeks discussing his life, which includes plenty of mountaintop and valley experiences.
Abraham (first known as Abram) was a great leader of the faith. He was the physical father of the Jewish nation. He also is the spiritual father of those who have faith in Christ, whether Jew or Gentile.
Abraham’s life demonstrates that our faith affects the pivotal decisions in our lives. We all face pivotal moments in our lives, but we don’t always respond as God wants us to. Abraham inspires us to evaluate our own life journeys and to determine if we are where God wants us to be.
God told Abram to go to a place He would show him. He told Abram to walk away from everything of the world and follow him. God’s call interrupted Abram’s life. But he immediately obeyed God in faith. Then God revealed His plan to Abram, little by little.
It’s the same for us today. God usually doesn’t reveal His entire plan for our lives at one time. Instead, He reveals Himself in the Bible and shows us His purpose for our lives, little by little. Am I allowing God to lead me in the direction He has set for my life, even when I have countless concerns and questions?
After calling Abram, God promised him many blessings. He also promised that his path wasn’t going to be easy, including suffering for his descendants. But Abram experienced tremendous spiritual growth through many pivotal moments in his life. (We’ll examine these in detail over the next few weeks.) Abram believed God when he didn’t have any tangible evidence of God’s promises. He trusted God when it didn’t make sense. He never wavered in his faith.
He didn’t waver because he focused on God’s character. He had faith; he believed in the unseen promises of God.
Abram was called, he believed and he grew in his faith. But it didn’t end there. He also influenced others. He invested in the people around him. He first believed in the promises of God for himself, then he passed them on to others. God calls us to the same sequence: belief, growth and investing in others.
Abram never stopped trusting God, even when faced with the hard things in life. He never gave up. Why? He was persuaded that God is God. He knew God had the power to do what He promised.
Am I choosing to grow in my faith, even in the hard circumstances? How am I moving my faith forward in my life? How am I deliberately investing in the next generation for God?
Get ready to study an amazing example in the Christian faith!
And…are you obeying the command in Avery’s memory verse this week?