December 4
“Now the LORD said to Abram, ‘Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.’” Genesis 12:1-2 ESV
Advent is a season of waiting. We wait for God’s promises to unfold and we wait for Christ’s coming. As family caregivers, we can relate to this intimately. The road ahead often seems unclear and we struggle to see beyond our circumstances.
Abram and Sarai knew this kind of turmoil. The LORD God called them out of their own country, where they had been surrounded by family and all things familiar. Abram didn’t have a map and a timeline, but God showed them the land he wanted for them. Great credit is due Abram for gathering up all his possessions, his nephew, and the people of their household before he set out for the unknown.
Of course we see that not all is well on this journey of faith. Because of fear and impatience, Abram makes problems for his household more than once. God still blesses him in Genesis 15. We see that Abram is still without an heir but God promises offspring that numbered as high as the stars in the heavens. Once again a binding covenant is made between God and his chosen.
In our own uncertainty, we often ask God a version of Abram’s question, “how am I to know that I shall possess it?” We get impatient to see things come to fruition and we try to work it out in our own power. This leads to trouble. Just read ahead to Genesis 16 for proof.
Instead of giving in to fear, focus on God’s unchanging character. He has already shown us—with how he dealt with Adam and Eve as well as with Noah and his sons—how merciful and loving he is. God will guide us through the unfamiliar territory and he invites us to rest in him as we await his Advent.
Prayer for today:
Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us your Word so that we may better understand your character. Be my strength when I am weak and remind me that you are a God who keeps his covenants. Let all I do glorify your name. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
