Regular readers of my blog will recognize Genesis 12:1-3. I frequently quote this passage because it contains a foundational message for Jewish and Christian people.
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.
I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:1-3).
A helpful way to understand Abraham’s calling is to contrast it with the builders of the Tower of Babel. They sought to make a name for themselves by constructing a tower that would reach the heavens.
In contrast, God promised to make Abraham’s name great. All Abraham needed to do was receive God’s instructions and follow them.
The builders of the Tower of Babel rebelled against God’s command to be fruitful and multiply, and to fill the earth by dispersing themselves throughout the world.
In contrast, Abraham could not fulfill his potential to be a blessing by staying where he was. He, too, had to follow God’s guidance and go where God led him.
The Father of Faith
The Book of Hebrews highlights Abraham’s faith, noting that he followed God’s direction even though he did not know his ultimate destination.
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance, and he set out, not knowing where he was going (Hebrews 11:8)
Faith is often like walking through a dark forest with a flashlight. The flashlight illuminates the path for about fifty feet, and once you’ve walked that distance, another fifty feet become visible, and so on.
God rarely reveals the entire journey at once. The destination is important, but it’s not the only thing God desires.
He also wants to be our constant companion throughout the entire process. As we walk with Him, we grow in our relationship with Him and experience a deeper connection.
This is what Abraham experienced, and it’s the same experience we can have as we follow God in faith. This is the essence of faith.
The Blessing on Abraham
The theological term “election” describes God’s choosing of an individual. This election involves both blessing and responsibility.
God’s election of Abraham set him apart as a unique individual through whom God would bless him and, ultimately, bless the entire world.
Abraham’s responsibility was to respond to this blessing by faithfully following God’s instructions.
Those who are blessed by God often tend to cling tightly to those blessings. If we believe God’s blessings are limited, we naturally try to hold onto our share.
A better response is to cultivate an open-handed relationship with God, allowing Him to bless our lives and then use us to bless others. This willingness to share is the purpose of our election.
We are called not only to receive blessings but also to extend them to others. Jesus is our example.
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
Who, though he existed in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be grasped,
But emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
assuming human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a human,
He humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death—
even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:5-8)
No one has blessed the world more than Jesus. While Jesus was eternally blessed in his heavenly existence, he willingly emptied himself, taking on the role of a servant, which ultimately led him to the cross.
He was blessed, yet he became a blessing to all humanity through his self-giving love.
Reflections
The call of Abraham is foundational to both Jewish and Christian faith. God has called us, and while being called by God is a blessing in itself, we are also called to be a blessing to others.
To fulfill this calling, we must strive daily to imitate Jesus and his self-giving love. Let us walk by faith, following God’s guidance, as we learn how to live a life of blessing.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 