Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Faith Is Not About The Knowing – It Is About The Going

The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you …. So Abram went.” – Genesis 12:1,4

I was recently asked the question, “Why do you do what you do, where you do it?”  Thinking about it – it is a good question – I was reminded of Abraham. The condition for responding to – obeying the call of God was not knowing where Abraham was going to “land”, but trust – faith – in the One who was sending. It was the same for the disciples.

And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him.” – Matthew 4:18-20

Do you see the pattern? But sometimes we let consideration of the world get in the way.

Then another of His disciples said to Him, ‘Lord, let me first go and bury my father.’ But Jesus said to him, ‘Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.’” – Matthew 8:21-22

It seemed like a reasonable – responsible request.  But the man had a divided heart.  That is what prevents many Christians from doing what the Lord calls them to do.  He won’t make you.  Your reluctance to obey does not impede the God of heaven.  So why am I in Houston Texas doing what I am doing.  It is not something that I planned.  When I was in the Army I had a five year and ten year plan outlining the things I needed to do to have a successful career.  But God only reveals my next step in His plan for my life.  How He intends to use me for His glory.  If I will only obey His call.  In every case where God has called us to a place, what I thought we would do was never what we ended up doing.  And there is always a temptation to do things my own way.  To decide for myself what it is that I would like to do or prefer to do.  Maybe I don’t care for the people I serve with. Or perhaps I don’t like what the Lord has me doing. We all must be careful that we keep our eyes fixed on the Lord and not start trusting our feelings or our preferences.

So what has God been saying to you? And what have you been saying back to God? The only right answer is “Yes Lord, Yes to Your will and to Your way. Yes Lord, Yes, I will trust you and obey.  When your Spirit speaks to me, with my whole heart I’ll agree and I will answer Yes, Lord, Yes!” (Lynn Keesecker, Yes Lord Yes, 1983)

For we walk by faith, not by sight.” – 2 Corinthians 5:7

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone

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