Devotion

Walking by Faith - a Devotion on Abraham's journey

"By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going." - Hebrews 11:8

Abraham's story begins with one of the most radical calls in the Bible. God asked him to leave everything familiar—his country, his people, his father's household—and go to a land that God would show him. At 75 years old, Abraham could have reasonably settled into a comfortable retirement. Instead, he packed up his entire life based on a promise from a God he was still learning to know.

The Hebrew word for Abraham's departure, halak, means more than just physical movement. It suggests a continuous, purposeful walking—a lifestyle of following God's lead. Abraham didn't just take a trip; he embarked on a lifelong journey of faith.

Years passed, and Abraham still had no heir. Abraham and Sarah grew older. Yet God continued to renew His promise, even taking Abraham outside to count the stars as a picture of his future descendants. Genesis 15:6 records one of the most profound statements in Scripture: "And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness."

Abraham's faith wasn't perfect or unwavering. He laughed at God's promise, and explored his own ways of fulfilling that promise, outside of God's plan for him. Yet through each failure and doubt, God remained faithful to His covenant. Abraham's righteousness came not from his performance, but from his trust in God's character and promises.

Abraham's journey offers profound lessons for our own faith walk:

Faith often begins with leaving our comfort zones. Like Abraham, we're called to leave behind what feels safe and familiar to follow God's leading. This might mean releasing control of our carefully laid plans.
God's timing rarely matches our timeline. Abraham waited 25 years for Isaac's birth. In our instant-gratification culture, learning to wait on God's timing develops both patience and deeper trust in His wisdom.
Faith doesn't eliminate questions or struggles. Abraham's journey included moments of doubt, mistakes, and course corrections. God doesn't expect perfect faith, but persistent faith—continuing to trust Him even when we can't see the full picture.
Our faith impacts future generations. Abraham became "the father of many nations," not just physically but spiritually. Our willingness to trust God today creates a legacy of faith that extends far beyond our own lives.

As we think about Abraham's journey in the Bible, it helps us to reflect on what God might be calling us to 'leave behind' in order to follow Him more fully, and how we typically respond when God's timing doesn't match our expectations. It also helps us to consider areas in our lives where we need to trust God's provision rather than trying to "help Him along". What promises from God's Word can we hold onto more firmly today?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, like Abraham, we want to be people who walk by faith and not by sight. Help us to trust Your promises even when circumstances seem impossible. Give us courage to leave our comfort zones when You call, patience to wait for Your timing, and faith to believe that You are always faithful to Your Word. May our lives be a testimony of Your goodness to the generations that follow. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Blessings!

Will Wallace

Principal