The Lord had said to (Abraham), “Go from your country, your people, and your father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.” Genesis 12:1-2
Yesterday, we talked about God’s first covenant with humans after the flood story. In today’s verse, we are dealing with God’s second covenant, which is specifically between God and Abraham and Sarah. In exchange for faithfully serving God, the couple is promised children. So many children that they will become a great nation. God promises them land on which to build their nation and that they will be a blessing to the whole world because of their faith.
However, before any of this can happen, Abraham and Sarah must leave home. They must leave the comforts of familiarity and protection of their current community. They must literally walk with faith into the unknown.
It is difficult to be a blessing to others when we stay inside our comfort zones. And there are plenty of opportunities in our lives to walk in faith into the unknown. Perhaps the most frightening transition in a young person’s life is changing schools. Maybe that student has moved or is going off to college. In I960, Ruby Bridges was just six years old when she agreed to be the first Black student to attend an all-white elementary school in Louisiana. She walked to school every day, escorted by law enforcement while being threatened by an angry racist mob threatening to kill her. Officers later recalled, “She showed a lot of courage. She never cried. She didn’t whimper. She just marched along like a little soldier, and we’re all very, very proud of her.”
The Bible says Abraham and Sarah were 75 years old when they followed God’s call into the unknown. Ruby Bridges was only six. How is God calling you into the unknown? And how can your faith be a blessing to others?
Kena Hawkins Newkirk 