Some Christians make the mistake that the call from God involves a smooth path with no serious hurdles or difficulties to surmount. This is one of the by-products of the health/ wealth gospel that has now almost saturated modern Christianity. When God called Abraham, things were going good for him, from a financial, and temporal perspective, for he was well established in his hometown of Chaldea, and he had the support of family and friends, so that if any adverse circumstances were to come his way he would have a social structure to lean upon.
However, the call of God would take him to a land of strangers, to a people who were averse to God and righteousness, and where, to all appearances, he would have no safety net in the likes of kindred, and acquaintances. Yet it was important for him to leave his hometown, if God’s purposes for his life were to be fulfilled, because it is often the case that family, and friends exert influences over Christians, which could have quite a deleterious effect on our relationship with Jesus Christ, and consequently our spiritual development.
The reason for this is because true Christians live by a mode of thought and action that is based on faith in God, and obedience to His words, even in times when, to all appearances, it makes no sense to trust God. This mode of thought puts us at great odds with the secular mind, which bases its decisions on logical reasoning, and limitations set by science, and by finite minds.
For instance, if at the next funeral someone was to pray that God would resurrect the dead one, if it’s His will, most of the congregants would be greatly alarmed by such a request, and may conclude that the petitioner has gone of their rockers.
But with the true Christian, such a request does not appear to be far-fetched, nor outside the realm of possibility, for he believes that nothing is impossible with God, and therefore, where a secular mind may expect death, defeat, and failure, because of the limits of logic and science, the Christian sees total success and tremendous possibility, because of the omnipotent power of God. Let’s read:
Mark 5:22 And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet,
23 And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.
24 And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him.
35 While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further?
36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.
38 And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly.
39 And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.
40 And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying.
41 And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.
42 And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment.
Thus it was with Abraham, for if he were to remain amongst family and friends of an unbelieving mind-set, the exercise and the development of his faith would be corrupted, and inhibited by the influences of those who were subject to finite thresholds. As a matter of fact, this is one of the primary reasons why God instructs His people not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers, for their mode of thought, and action are diametrically opposed to those who believe. Let’s read:
Genesis 12:1 Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
4 So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.
5 And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.
Now, the logical, human reasoning would expect, that since it was God who called Abraham to leave the comforts, and securities of his hometown, that everything would be smooth sailing. Here is where many Christians stumble for some have been misled into thinking that God’s call to follow Christ includes a guarantee against all adverse circumstances that may arise. It is true that the promises of God do provide shelter from the storms of life, but they absolutely do not guarantee that there won’t be any storms. Let’s read:
Isaiah 43:1 But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.
2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
3 For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Savior.
In the Christian’s life, there will be times when the logical reasoning of the serpent will be whispered in our ears, and we would have opportunity to doubt, if we are so inclined. But the fact that Jesus Christ has called us to be His followers should be evidence enough to sustain our faith in times of danger, or adversity, for He has made a solemn promise to never leave us, nor forsake us.
With Abraham, this solemn truth became a living reality, when after leaving financial stability, and social security, in the obedience of faith, a deadly famine came upon the land, and threatened his entire household with starvation. Now here was so-called logical reason to doubt, and turn back, for at this time, the land of the Chaldees, his native home country was brim full with bread, milk, and honey.
Thus, the serpent begins his diabolical reasoning: [1] If it is God who called you, how is it that your household, and flocks are now facing starvation? Wouldn’t a loving, intelligent God, who knows the end from the beginning, have made prior provision for you? [2] Abraham, are you sure it was God who called you in the first place, or was it a figment of your imagination that you misinterpreted as the voice of God?
[3] Since things are not turning out the way you’ve expected, isn’t it time to turn back to your native land, instead of “Waiting in vain”, like Bob Marley, the Canaanite once sang? [4] And what about the kids Abraham? Do you really mean to say that it is God’s will that the kids be also threatened with starvation, especially since the department of children and families can fine you for putting them at risk?
This is the same type of infernal logic which was presented to Christ as starvation took its toll on Him. Would The Father allow His dear Son to suffer such tremendous pangs of hunger? And if so, isn’t it time to reach for plan B, or better yet, alternatives which will involve disobedience? Let’s read:
[The Desire Of Ages. pp118>119] Would God treat His own Son thus? Would He leave Him in the desert with wild beasts, without food, without companions, without comfort? He insinuates that God never meant His Son to be in such a state as this. “If Thou be the Son of God,” show Thy power by relieving Thyself of this pressing hunger. It was Satan's purpose to cause Him to doubt that word. If Christ's confidence in God could be shaken, Satan knew that the victory in the whole controversy would be his.
He hoped that under the force of despondency and extreme hunger Christ would lose faith in His Father and work a miracle in His own behalf. One of the most powerful of the angels, he says, has been banished from heaven. The appearance of Jesus indicates that He is that fallen angel, forsaken by God, and deserted by man. A divine being would be able to sustain his claim by working a miracle; “if Thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.”
Such an act of creative power, urges the tempter, would be conclusive evidence of divinity. Not without a struggle could Jesus listen in silence to the arch-deceiver. But the Son of God was not to prove His divinity to Satan, or to explain the reason of His humiliation.
And the reasons, and logic can go on, and on. But the single most important question resting with Abraham, is whether he will stay the course with God, through the good times, and bad, or whether he will serve and obey God, only when he can get a guarantee of uninterrupted material blessings, or at least a reasonable explanation of what in the world is going on.
This is the burning question which must be settled in the heart of each Christian, as the time of trouble looms large on the horizon, for it is satan’s steadfast purpose, if possible, to starve Christians to death, or at least to force us into disobedience, through our need of food. Thus it was with Abraham. Let’s read:
[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 128>130] Abraham continued to journey southward, and again his faith was tested. The heavens withheld their rain, the brooks ceased to flow in the valleys, and the grass withered on the plains. The flocks and herds found no pasture, and starvation threatened the whole encampment. Did not the patriarch now question the leadings of Providence? Did he not look back with longing to the plenty of the Chaldean plains?
All were eagerly watching to see what Abraham would do, as trouble after trouble came upon him. So long as his confidence appeared unshaken, they felt that there was hope; they were assured that God was his Friend, and that He was still guiding him. Abraham could not explain the leadings of Providence; he had not realized his expectations; but he held fast the promise, “I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing.”
With earnest prayer he considered how to preserve the life of his people and his flocks, but he would not allow circumstances to shake his faith in God's word. To escape the famine he went down into Egypt. He did not forsake Canaan or in his extremity turn back to the Chaldean land from which he came, where there was no scarcity of bread; but he sought a temporary refuge as near as possible to the Land of Promise, intending shortly to return where God had placed him.
The Lord in His providence had brought this trial upon Abraham to teach him lessons of submission, patience, and faith, lessons that were to be placed on record for the benefit of all who should afterward be called to endure affliction. God leads His children by a way that they know not, but He does not forget or cast off those who put their trust in Him. He permitted affliction to come upon Job, but He did not forsake him.
He allowed the beloved John to be exiled to lonely Patmos, but the Son of God met him there, and his vision was filled with scenes of immortal glory. God permits trials to assail His people, that by their constancy and obedience they themselves may be spiritually enriched, and that their example may be a source of strength to others. “I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil.” Jeremiah 29:11.
The very trials that task our faith most severely and make it seem that God has forsaken us, are to lead us closer to Christ, that we may lay all our burdens at His feet and experience the peace which He will give us in exchange. God has always tried His people in the furnace of affliction. It is in the heat of the furnace that the dross is separated from the true gold of the Christian character. Jesus watches the test; He knows what is needed to purify the precious metal, that it may reflect the radiance of His love.
It is by close, testing trials that God disciplines His servants. He sees that some have powers which may be used in the advancement of His work, and He puts these persons upon trial; in His providence He brings them into positions that test their character, and reveal defects and weaknesses that have been hidden from their own knowledge. He gives them opportunity to correct these defects and to fit themselves for His service.
He shows them their own weakness, and teaches them to lean upon Him; for He is their only help and safeguard. Thus His object is attained. They are educated, trained, and disciplined, prepared to fulfill the grand purpose for which their powers were given them. When God calls them to action, they are ready, and heavenly angels can unite with them in the work to be accomplished on the earth.
Soul searching, when done through the Holy Spirit can potentially dig up some dirt in our characters, which in many instances have been unknown to us. As a matter of fact, our real self is often manifested when trials, and unforeseen difficulties arise. Then it is revealed whether we will serve God because of who He is, or whether we may have predetermined thresholds that God is not permitted to cross.
With some, the threshold point may be material blessings, for there are many who will serve God faithfully, only if the mortgage note, groceries, and other essential bills are taken care of. Then there are others who will follow Christ, only when their marriage, and family remain intact. With others, some pet peeve, or cherished idol is off-limits to The Holy Ghost, and whenever these are interfered with, for any reason, they draw back, and walk no more with Jesus.
Thus, with many a Christian, the relationship with Christ may be currently tethered to some preset threshold, which if touched, or shaken by trials, causes the relation between themselves and God to crumble like the proverbial “House of cards”. Hence the reason why the following passage of scripture was penned for our sober consideration, as we now face existential threats to our social security, and peace. Let’s read:
Matthew 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
Note well, that the rain, floods and wind came upon both houses, however, the only difference was the foundation upon which each was built. Similarly with our relationship with Christ. If it is built upon a continual, uninterrupted provision of all material blessings, then when our hurricane season begins, and our Katrina start to come ashore, then our faith in God will be signally overturned, because it was tethered to material blessings. It’s because of these realities why a new approach to our commitment to Christ is now warranted. Let’s read:
I, (Christian), take you, Jesus, to be my lawfully wedded (Savior), to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.
May The Lord add His blessing to the study and practice of His word.
God bless!