Promise Keeper
Posted by Karah
Pause
Skim over God’s words to Abram in Genesis 12:1-3. Thank God that He is a God who does what He promises.
The Lord said to Abram:
“Go out from your land, your relatives, and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.”
—Genesis 12:1-2
A good story has a strong protagonist, the lead character and chief actor. The protagonist moves the action forward; his decisions initiate and advance the plot. Read over Genesis 12:1-3, then dig deeper with these questions:
Who is the Protagonist in these verses? Why?
Look back over verses 1-3, underlining in your Bible all the “I will” statements God made to Abram. How do you see God acting as the Initiator of the action in these verses? Explain.
How do you see the scope and greatness of God’s great plan coming into focus in this passage?
The Point
God isn’t just the Protagonist of His story. He is the One who guarantees that what He has said will happen.
Respond
God didn’t give Abram a bunch of requirements he had to meet before God would fulfill His promises. God didn’t say, “When you do this, then I’ll . . .” when He called Abram. God didn’t predict Abram’s future; He promised it. To have that future, all Abram had to do was respond.
The same is true of us. Through Jesus, God has promised us salvation, forgiveness of sin, and an eternity with Him. But to have that guaranteed future, we must respond to His gospel.
If you have placed your faith in Christ, you don’t have to be mired in doubt and fear about your future. What God has promised is sure. Rest in the security of the hope He gives today.
For further study on God’s faithfulness, read Psalm 117; 1 Corinthians 1:4-9; 2 Timothy 2:11-13; and 1 John 1:9. Listen to “Whom Shall I Fear (God of Angel Armies)” by Chris Tomlin (Burning Lights, 2013).
Behind the Story
The call of Abram in Genesis 12 uses many poetic elements, but the most prominent one is repetition. The call involves juxtaposition between the second person pronouns (“you” and “yours”) and the first person verbs (“I will”). This all works together to make it clear that Abram is the recipient and God is the “Promiser.”
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