“Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” (Genesis 12:1-3)
In this chapter of scripture, we read that God told Abram to leave behind his homeland and his extended family in order to go where God was leading him. In the very next verse we read that Abram did, in fact, leave behind his homeland and most of his family – all except a nephew, Lot. Over the next verses we read that Lot became like an anchor to Abram. There was strife between the servants of Abram and Lot, there was a family split, and they became divided after all. But it slowed down the work of God and delayed what He had in store for Abram.
Sometimes God calls us to leave the familiar, to leave behind that which once was a comfort to us and go to a place that He has planned to give us more than we could ever imagine. I’m not saying it’s easy. I’m definitely not saying it is painless. But in order to receive the blessing and anointing God has for us we have to be where He says and do what He says. Serving God is a sacrifice – don’t ever forget that. In order to obtain the Promised Land, remember, the Israelites had to leave behind the familiar places, customs, and lifestyle they had in Egypt. Oh sure, they suffered at the hands of their captors there, but a familiar pain is more comfortable than an unknown and unseen promise.
I don’t know about you, but I have had to leave behind many, many things in my lifetime. Some of them were easy once I left. Others, quite frankly, I mourned for quite a while. But I have come to learn one thing: if I don’t leave it behind willingly, God will eventually take it from me by force of circumstance. That only makes the loss that much more painful.
This is a short one today, but the message is very clear. Some of us have been called aside and seemingly left alone for the purpose of God getting His message through to us loud and clear with no distractions. We have been called to live in unfamiliar territory, meet unfamiliar people, experience unfamiliar customs. Not that we are to take on the unfamiliar practices of those we meet, but that God can speak to us in our discomfort.
You may find yourself in the good company of Moses on the backside of the desert, David living in the caves, Elijah on the run from Jezebel, Daniel in captivity, or any of the other mighty men and women of God mentioned in scripture. But read the rest of their stories. In their solitude God was able to equip them for the greater victories that lie ahead. That’s what He plans to do with you and me. And frankly, I would love to be able to go back and be a fly on the wall (so to speak) just to watch their metamorphosis into God’s desired leaders.
Notice the promises God gave Abram to encourage him to obey. Greater blessings, greater influence, and a greater heritage to leave the world. We are called to be world-changers, we are called to be a blessing to those around us, we are called to be influencers. But it comes at a price. Are you willing to pay the price – whatever it is? God has already spoken to some of you reading this. What has He shown you? What promises has He made you? What has He asked you to give up? Take some time to consider these questions. Really take some time meditating and soul-searching. Then, my friend, go and do. Leaving it all behind for the joy of the promises that have been set before you. Endure to the end that you might gain the crown of life.
Be blessed.
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