Sometimes, while we wait on God to fulfill His promises we may wonder if we’re doing enough. Is waiting, praying, and trusting sufficient or are we missing something?
Courtesy of Crestock.com
In the next two blog posts, we are going to explore a few things that may hinder the fulfillment of God’s personal promises to us.
Let’s begin by considering the patriarch Abraham:
The LORD said to [Abraham] . . . “Lift up your eyes from where you are and look north and south, east and west. All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever.” (Genesis 13:14-15)
Abraham must have reeled at the thought of himself, a nomad, a displaced alien, taking possession of the vast, wild land in which he lived. Questions probably assaulted him. How will God accomplish it? This land is heavily fortified, its people well established. Am I, a lone warrior, to conquer a nation? Nevertheless, Abraham believed God, but I imagine he wondered, What am I supposed to do?
Have you ever felt that way? God gives us a promise, but we have no idea how He will accomplish it. It seems too big, too hard, farfetched even, and we can’t imagine the role we are to play in the realization of it. So we pray, we trust God, “claim His promise,” and wait for Him to fulfill it. After all, there’s nothing more we can do–
–or is there?
The rest of God’s conversation with Abraham provides a clue:
“Go, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you.”
Abraham believed God’s promise, but before he could experience the fulfillment of it, he had to act like it was true. God promised him the land, so Abraham packed his bags and family, and went down and lived there.
And through that act of obedience, he positioned himself to receive the promise.
Abraham “moved his tents and went to live . . . at Hebron.”
Sometimes I settle into my snug spot overlooking the valley of God’s promises. I sit and expect God to miraculously catapult them up to me, when in reality He’s calling me to go down and get them. Even as God instructed Abraham to walk the length and breadth of the land promised to him. Even as Abraham, in faith bought a plot of land there, pitched a tent, and made a home.
And through Abraham’s example I’ve discovered something I need to learn; faith steps out and appropriates God’s promise, it doesn’t hide behind it.
Biblical faith is never still. It doesn’t lie dormant while we wait on God. Nor does it idle in place or sit and wait for a miracle. No, faith moves, it grows, reaps and realizes.
Faith acts.
Today, we too, can act on what we believe and move into position to receive it!
What promise is God calling you to act on today?
photo credit: <a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/anniferrr/4536513314/”>anna gutermuth</a> via <a href=”http://photopin.com”>photopin</a> <a href=”http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/”>cc</a>
photo credit: <a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/nicholas_t/150069741/”>Nicholas_T</a> via <a href=”http://photopin.com”>photopin</a> <a href=”http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/”>cc</a> photo credit: <a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/vixl/4939117481/”>Faisal AlKhudairy \ فيصل الخضيري</a> via <a href=”http://photopin.com”>photopin</a> <a href=”http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/”>cc</a>
Comments 8
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As always, enjoy your excellent, Spirit-led and inspired writing. For me, the no-questions-asked, “Here I am” level of faith Abraham exhibits when asked by God to “Go” … He simply listens and obeys placing his total faith in God. That type of faith-in-action is what God expects–“Go”, “Follow”, “Wait”, “Listen”–and I need to respond as Abraham, simply obeying without questioning and leaving the rest up to God, in faith. Trusting in his promises…
I love the simple, yet powerful clarity of your thoughts here. “He simply listens and obeys placing his total faith in God.” ” And the old hymn, “Trust and Obey” says it all: “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way . . .”
That is the very hymn that came to mind! So simple, direct, powerful and truthful: Trust and Obey…no other Way. Oh, for faith of Abraham! When I hear people challenge the stature of Abraham, based on his many faults and failures revealed in God’s word (he is as we are, broken & flawed humans, sons of Adam) I point out the difference why “flawed” people like Abraham and David were chosen by God: their unreserved, total faith in God. Thanks again for your wonderful, inspiring writing! Blessings, luke
“faith steps out and appropriates God’s promise, it doesn’t hide behind it.” Great principle to note and live by. Thanks for he kick in the pants that I needed, friend!
If only I could live by it! Here’s trying . .
“Faith moves, it grows, reaps, and realizes.”
I love this because too often I stumble into that mindset that faith is a passive emotion. When in fact, it is active and requires us to move forward. Thanks for giving me something to chew on today.
I can relate to your statement about having the mindset that faith is a passive emotion. I think sometimes it just feels passive, period. Am I ever praising God it is not!