Genesis 11: 31 – 13: 1
This is where we first meet Abraham and Sarah, though at this point their names are still Abram and Sarai. Yahweh tells Abram to go, to move, and the wondrous thing is that Abram does. Some two thousand years later, Paul is till marveling at Abraham’s faith in believing God. Some four thousand years later, we are still marveling.
How did Abram hear God? How did he know for sure that it was God who was speaking? Why did he trust in the promises? How can we live that kind of relationship with God, that kind of faithfulness? What does this mean for us?
The LORD tells Abram that God will make a great nation of him and that God will bless him and that, indeed, all the world will be blessed through him. What a marvelous promise: you matter and you always will. You matter to me. Isn’t that what we all want to hear?
Sometimes we are tempted to think that the patriarchs, those great figures of the bible that have become models of faith, are different than we are. Sure, they were heroes, and God spoke to them, and told them what to do. But that’s them, not us. They are in a different category.
It isn’t true. Read the whole chapter. Abram is not some infallible, godlike human. He profits over giving his wife over to be part of the Pharaoh’s harem. Imagine what Sarai goes through. And Abram profits over it. The faithful father Abraham, the one whose praises are sung, does such a thing? How can it be?
The people God chooses are not exemplary portraits of humanity. They are human. What is remarkable is that they listen to God, and even in this they are not perfect. If Abram had fully trusted God at this point in his life, would he have been afraid of the Pharaoh. Oh, yes, he had faith. Enough to pick up his family and move along a great journey toward the unknown, but he did not have perfect faith. He was still afraid of things.
This story should fill us with hope because God can use us even when we are so very unfinished and imperfect. This story also might leave us with a bit of trepidation, too, however, and even for the same reason. God can use us. Right now, today -- not simply when we become more perfect.
What might God call us to next? Will we go?
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I have been dragging my feet. I believe that God is calling me to apply to be part of the General Assembly's Advocacy Committee for Women's Concerns. I have part of the application filled out and have even asked two of the three people needed to be references for me. But days go by and I don't finish the application. I hear a voice in my mind saying this is a committee that gets lots of negative reactions. I'm not even sure the powers that be in the PC(USA) aren't trying to get rid of it. I tell myself just applying is no guarantee of election and that if I'm not nominated that will solve my dilemma. On the other hand, I know the work of this committee. I understand its mandate and am passionate about changing the dire situations women in the US and and around the world struggle with.
ReplyDeletePerfect is not a word anyone would apply to me. Trepidation describes my quandry. I've learned over the years that God is quite capable of using even a low level talent with high level reservations. I think I'd better focus on hearing God and having faith no matter what happens if I answer yes. Maybe today will be the day I finish that application......