1.6 Genesis 12-14

Stephen Van Bueren

January 6

Genesis 12-14

Summarize what you read in one paragraph:  Genesis 12-14 details God’s call of Abram (Abraham) and His initial promise to Abram that He would make him into a great nation. To be honest, there are stories that leave you scratching your head – like Abram forcing his wife Sarai (Sarah) to pretend to be his sister??? This section of chapters includes the introduction of Lot, Abram’s nephew. As they go their separate ways, Lot chooses an area of land that from a distance looked appealing to the eye, however, as we later read, Lot settled near Sodom – underscoring that the “grass is not always greener on the other side.” It concludes with Abram’s rescue mission, after Lot has been captured – and the blessing he received from Melchizedek.

What is one key verse? 

“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’…So Abram went, as the LORD had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.”

Genesis 12:1,4 

Abram (Abraham) became known as the “father of faith” and though it wasn’t until chapter 15:6 that it says that his faith in God was credited to him as righteousness – I believe that is was here, in Genesis 12:1-4 that Abram’s faithfulness was born. The sister passage to this is found in Hebrews 11:8, where it says, “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.” 

How does what you read change your vision of God?  I think that from what I read, God is more interested in our faithfulness to Him and what He may ask of us, than He is in our comfort. Abram (Abraham) at this point in time, was established in his life. He was married, had his extended family around, had done what could be assumed as fairly well in life that he had accumulated a lot of “stuff.” And it was at this point that God called Abram to give up those securities and comforts to follow Him into what would be so far better.

How does what you read change your vision of yourself or others?  The change for me personally is the call for me to be willing to follow God into the unknown – while being faithful that whatever or wherever He is calling me to, it will be far better than the “comforts” of staying put in “Haran.”

How will you Go With God because of this reading? (What is an action step?)  I want to be faithful to do the best I can, with what I have, where I am at – but then be willing to follow the Holy Spirit’s guidance – even if I don’t know exactly where that may lead me.

Where did you see Jesus in these chapters? (What made you think about Jesus?)  I have always been blown away by Abram’s faith to leave and go, even though he didn’t know where he was going. However, in my time of pondering these passages, I have realized that Jesus obeyed and left what was far more “comfortable” and “secure” when he chose to leave heaven to come down to earth to be with us.