May 6, 2009

• Partial Obedience = Delay and Barrenness

  I've been reading through Genesis lately and I've enjoyed reading about Abraham again.  In Genesis 12 God tells Abraham to leave his family and go to the land of Canaan.  Abraham chooses to take his father Terah (Acts 7:2-4, Genesis 11:31-32) and his nephew Lot anyway.  Terah dies in Haran.  Its not until Terah dies that God calls Abraham out farther (Acts 7:4).  Interestingly, Terah's name means "delay" and Haran means "barrenness."

  Abraham goes to Canaan, but because of a famine he decides to find refuge in Egypt rather than wait on the Lord.  He also tells a white lie to Pharoah while in Egypt.  He leaves seemingly better off, but has a new Egyptian maidservant with him named Hagar who will come into play later.  That story won't turn out well

  In Genesis 13 Abraham and Lot eventually have to part because of infighting among their people.  Subsequently, as soon as Lot is gone, God appears to Abraham.  It was clear God was waiting for Abraham to fully obey.  Abraham will later have to rescue Lot in Genesis 14... Abraham might have thought having an extra relative would provide support in his quest to obey God, but we can see that if he left Lot behind like God told him to that things would have gone much better.

  I see parallels in my own walk with God.  Sometimes there is a desire to hold on to some of the things of the past that give me a sense of security or comfort... but in truth these things can cause a delay in God's plan for me and even compromise blessings God desires to share with me.  God can only give us the full blessing if we are fully obedient, otherwise its like trying to push a circle block through a triangle opening... we just can't receive it and He has to hold it back until we conform to Him.  So, if we don't want barrenness or delay in the blessings of God, we need to let go of what we are holding on to and learn to fully rely on/obey the Lord. 

  God bless!

  • 9:45 am
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