Abraham lived in the blessing and so can we. However, living in the blessing is never without trial of some kind. For Abraham to even begin to live in the blessing he had to first leave all he had ever known (Genesis 12). The LORD tells him if he obeys how he will be blessed. If you haven’t read this story lately you really need to read it. GOD tells Abram (his name at the time) to not only leave his country and family but to go to a land He will show him!! The LORD is saying in essence — leave everything that’s familiar and travel to where I show you. That is no easy thing to do— especially if you’re walking or riding a camel! I know people that would hyperventilate if they heard such a request from the LORD to just move to another state. But God told Abram to leave his country. And his family! Sometimes we have to leave what’s familiar so GOD can bless us with something better!
As Abram travels to the place GOD is showing him he seems to began to fear for his life because he has such a gorgeous wife. (Genesis 12:10-20) Sure enough, her beauty was noticed and thinking she is Abram’s sister Pharaoh takes her as his wife. Now, if you think this was not a trial for Abram, you have not noticed how men are about their wives! Even when Abram didn’t understand what to do GOD came through for him! Despite himself, I guess you could say, he remained in the blessing. The thing is while he may have gotten a little out of focus on some things he never lost focus on what GOD first told him to do. This a lesson for us too, even if we momentarily make a decision that’s unwise we must not forget what GOD has first told us to do and follow that until He gives us another something to do!
Abram is now at the place where GOD was leading him but once again he faces trouble. (Genesis 13) Abram brought his nephew Lot, whose father had died, with him on his journey. Now there is arguing because there’s not enough room for everybody. As Lot goes his way, after choosing land that was like the well watered garden of the LORD. At this time GOD gives Abram an expansion of His earlier promise. Lot settled in Sodom and Abram in Canaan. Today those names are synonyms— Sodom for perverted sin and Canaan for blessing and promise. This lesson for us is we may settle in a place that looks like the well watered garden of the LORD but if the LORD is not in it, it becomes cursed. When living in the blessing choose the place where GOD’s at not necessarily the most watered place!
Note: I used the NIV Bible when researching this story.
Coffee With the King 