There once was a man named Abram…who received an abundance of blessings from God because he trusted God and was obedient to His calling.
Here is the beginning of Abram's story….. (Genesis 12:1-9 The Message)
1 God told Abram: "Leave your country, your family, and your father's home for a land that I will show you.
2-3 I'll make you a great nation
and bless you.
I'll make you famous;
you'll be a blessing.
I'll bless those who bless you;
those who curse you I'll curse.
All the families of the Earth
will be blessed through you."
4-6 So Abram left just as God said, and Lot left with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. Abram took his wife Sarai and his nephew Lot with him, along with all the possessions and people they had gotten in Haran, and set out for the land of Canaan and arrived safe and sound.
Abram passed through the country as far as Shechem and the Oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites occupied the land.
7 God appeared to Abram and said, "I will give this land to your children." Abram built an altar at the place God had appeared to him.
8 He moved on from there to the hill country east of Bethel and pitched his tent between Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. He built an altar there and prayed to God.
9 Abram kept moving, steadily making his way south, to the Negev.
I read this story last week and I've been thinking about it a lot lately. Abram's story is directly related to what God is calling us to do as World Racers! Are we willing to be completely obedient without reservation?
On Sunday morning, my pastor preached on this exact passage and presented these valid truths that come from Abram's call to adventure…
- Truth #1: God's blessings come from our obedience to God's will!
- Truth #2: God's blessings flow over to those around you!
- Truth #3: God's blessings come despite our enemies and challenges!
- Truth #4: The right response to God's blessings is to build an altar!
- Truth #5: We should follow Abram's example and keep moving forward in our life in obedience to God by faith, knowing God's blessings will come!
God's promises are written throughout the Bible and He never stops reminding us how much He loves us through those promises. We just have to tell Him, "God this (money, home, job, car, bills, family, friends) is not mine, but Yours. Instead of focusing on these challenges, we can focus on God's promises!
In preparing for the World Race…researching gear, buying the right gear, sending out support letters, following up with supporters, writing blogs, getting shots, praying, crying, worrying, laughing, believing, loving, talking to friends and family, getting advice, being encouraged, being discouraged, etc…we need to remember that God has called us to this mission and we can't give up on what we believe to be right, which is God!
I've learned that no matter what happens, good and bad, I have been called to leave my friends and family for 11 months, to travel all over the world with "strangers", to make new friends, to love on people in need, to bless others who will be blessed and also will bless me in return, to laugh and cry and struggle and triumph with my squad, and to follow God's will for my life.
So, just like Abram…we will GO!
