Happy Monday everyone!
Today I wanted to share a Scripture that has been really inspiring and convicting for me, especially in regards to my World Race journey.
Genesis 11 introduces us to a man named Abram. He was one of the most faithful men to ever live and God had great plans for him (Hebrews 11:8-12). Abram, who would later be renamed as Abraham, was chosen by God to be the father of His people and the start of His redemption story for all of humanity. In Genesis 12, God calls Abram to start his journey to the homeland God intended for His people – the Promised Land – Israel. Verses 1-3 are so incredibly powerful and one of my favorite parts of Scripture, so I wanted to take a closer look at them with you.
“The LORD had said to Abram, ‘Go from your country, your people, and your father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all the peoples on the earth will be blessed through you.'” – Genesis 12:1-3
Let’s take a look at that first sentence. God tells Abram to leave absolutely everything and go… somewhere. God didn’t specify what land He was taking Abram to; all He said was “start walking and I’ll tell you when you get there.” Can you imagine the faith it must have taken Abram to leave everything and just go? That’s the kind of faith I want. I want to be able to come before God and say “here I am, I’ll follow you anywhere” (Isaiah 6:8). This verse hit me in a whole new way when I signed up for the World Race. Leaving my family, my home, and my life (even if it is just for 11 months) is really going to push my faith. At this point, I’m not even sure which countries on the route we’ll be visiting. I can only imagine how much Abram’s calling must have challenged and built his faith.
In the next sentence, God promises to transform Abram. As Abram puts his trust in God and follows where He leads, God will grow Abram into something greater than he could ever be on his own. The more Abram trusts, follows, and grows, the more God will bless him. I pray that my time with the World Race will be a time of immense transformation and growth for me. I hope to come back changed in every way. I want to see the world in a whole new light and fall in love with God in ways I never even imagined. Please be praying for all the ways God will be challenging me and pushing me to grow!
Finally, the last part of verse 3 is one of my favorite parts of this passage. The reason why God promises to bless Abram this much is so that Abram can become a blessing for others. God’s blessings are never meant to be hoarded and hidden away. When He blesses us, He wants us to embody the blessing and pass it on to others. Recently, I’ve really been challenged to embrace this truth when it comes to forgiveness. I struggle a lot with bitterness and holding on to hurts; forgiveness doesn’t come easy for me. But I have to remember that God has forgiven me for all my sins. He not only forgives me for my sake, but so that I can pass it on and forgive others. I hope that I can take all the blessings God has given me throughout my life and use them to bless those I’ll be serving on the World Race.
I hope that this passage inspires you as much as it does me!
I love how you keyed in on the fact that God blesses us for us to bless others (which makes us feel rich!…a further blessing to us). The more we give, (we may endure a long season of testing sometimes) the more God provides…not just financially but spiritually, physically, relationally and mentally.