Bold Obedience

Posted by Karah

Pause

Ponder this quote to begin your time with God today:

“[To have faith in Christ] means, of course, trying to do all that He says. . . . Thus if you have really handed yourself over to Him, it must follow that you are trying to obey Him.” —C.S. Lewis

So Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was 75 years old when he left Haran. He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated, and the people he had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan. —Genesis 12:4-5a

Reread Genesis 12:1-3 one more time this week. Then, read Genesis 12:4-9 carefully. Consider these questions:

Underline the first three words in verse 4. Why are these words so important? Explain.

God’s promises to Abram seemed impossible and unlikely. He promised a childless old man that he would be the father of many nations and that he would possess a land that already belonged to someone else. Yet, Abram stepped out in obedience.

When have you seen someone step out in radical obedience to God, even though what they were doing seemed difficult, unlikely, or impossible? What have you learned from that person’s example?

God called Abram to leave behind all that was comfortable and familiar to him and follow where He would lead. What familiar or comfortable things has God called you to leave behind in the past? What might He be calling you to leave behind now?

The Point

When God called, Abram obeyed. God is still inviting people to be a part of His story. When He calls, we must choose to obey.

Respond

Look at the list of familiar and comfortable things God might want you leave behind to follow Him. Maybe it’s a relationship, a life-long dream, or an attitude you’ve had for a long time.

What steps will you take this week to follow God in obedience in those things? List two to three below.

Maybe the most honest prayer you can pray right now is to ask God to give you the desire to be boldly and radically obedient to Him despite fear or doubt about leaving behind all that is familiar or comfortable. Record your prayer in your journal.

For further study, read Radical or Follow Me by David Platt. Listen to “Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)” by Hillsong United (Zion, 2013).

Behind the Story

Schechem was located at a strategic pass between Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal, about 41 miles north of Jerusalem. “The oak of Moreh” probably referred to a Canaanite shrine. The Canaanites worshiped many gods and believed fertile groves of trees to be sacred. The oak is mentioned a few more times in the Old Testament, in Genesis 35:4 and Judges 9:6,37.

Posted in Boys, Devotions | Tagged Camp Ridgecrest Alumni and Friends, Camp Ridgecrest for Boys, Reprinted from ec magazine. © 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Used by permission., Weekly Devotions