If you were Abram...
If I were Abram...
I've often wondered what I would do if I was Abram. I wonder, given my history of believing God for things (or more like my history of not) in my life, what would be my response to the "get up and leave" invitation.
I know how I've responded in some of my toughest moments, with faith occasionally but more often with fear and doubt.
In my younger years I moved to Indiana, with no family here, it was difficult, but not impossible. Plus, as a youngin' I thought I could whip the world. But now, I have a hard time picking something to wear in the morning, it's almost too much pressure...
Add a few years and this wimp may be come a super wimp.
If life is challenging at this stage of life, what would it be like to be asked to leave all I have, at the request of my savior? At nearly twice my current age? Yet Abram did that. Life got tough for him along the way and he faltered, but God reminded him that HE (God) was able to be trusted and Abram, battered by life, chose to believe.
I also can't imagine having children at 100 yrs old. I can't care for my grandkids for a day without taking a nap with them and then having a recuperation time that evening after the parents come to get them, and I'm only 52 years old!
What if grace was dependent upon you or upon your unfaltering faith?
What if salvation was about getting all the rules right?
Where would you be?
I know where Abram (later Abraham) would be.... LOST! (Just ask his wife)
I'd be right there with him!
Take a moment and share any thoughts you have about God initiating a "clean up" plan after all the mess man made of his creation.
Read this paragraph from Chapter 2 and share how your "do something" works in your life.
"Common sense argues that if bad behavior puts us at odds with God, then good behavior should fix things. Our natural inclination is to do something to gain God's acceptance and approval. So throughout the history of civilization, people have devised every imaginable system and scheme to please their god or gods. But when the one true God initiated his relationship with mankind, it didn't begin with a command; it began with an invitation: will you trust me." (pg. 31)
Share any other thoughts you have about what you read in this chapter.
Ray Dosh said:
on March 16, 2015 at 10:05pm
This may be somewhat tangent to the thrust of this chapter but the first thing that struck me was something that had never occurred to me before. God didn't start his reconstruction plan with an existing nation. That would have meant first having to deconstruct a civilization that was already worshipping some pagan god and changing the way of thinking of a vast number of people. No, the best way was to start with one man: Abram. And, when God later reveals his redemptive plan, he again starts with one man: His own Son.
But, regarding our tendency to feel we have to do something to gain God's acceptance and approval, the "no free lunch" thought is so ingrained in us that, certainly, in our thinking, it must apply to God's approval of us. But, just as God gave Abram the promises without asking anything but faith in return, so he offers us salvation and righteousness asking only that we believe. Yet we keep trying to earn our way when we know full well, but need to be constantly reminded, that we have already received the gift. He already sees us through the blood and we ARE righteous because we ARE forgiven. That's why I believe it is so important for us to revisit this topic so often; grace is, indeed, most amazing!
Joyce Hostetler said:
on March 17, 2015 at 2:55pm
I was with Abram as I am with lots of other biblical characters....I am always amazed and awed that people just simply do as God directs without questioning God's wishes. I also cannot imagine being a new parent at age 100. God is SO powerful and awe-inspiring!
Sheila said:
on March 18, 2015 at 2:12pm
If salvation was about 'getting all the rules right', I would be in big trouble!. Even though I'm known as a rule follower, I struggle with certain rules and often find myself regretting choices I've made when I knew they didn't fit God's plan for my life when I made them. I find myself wanting things to happen in my time rather than trusting God to provide the right thing in His perfect timing. I'm ashamed to admit that at times I have even willfully planned choices that I knew would need God's forgiveness and grace; I was counting on the 'good behavior/bad behavior' thought process where we all hope our good behavior will outweigh our bad behavior and we count on God to understand and offer His grace. Why do we forget that we cannot earn grace and salvation? It is a gift from God, and we need only to gratefully accept it and honor Him with our trust as Abram did.
Melissa said:
on March 18, 2015 at 3:31pm
"Just to trust Him". That's all He asks from us. The fact that God also gave the child to Abraham and Sarah in His own time shows a grace that is superior to anything we can imagine. Only after the lies did God show this unconditional love and grace of what He had promised all along.
It is truly hard for me to fathom someone loving me this much. You cannot find this kind of unconditional love on this earth. I am in awe of my God!
I appreciate that God offered this relationship to all mankind.
Ginny Soultz said:
on March 25, 2015 at 9:00pm
I've been thinking a lot about the idea that "the righteous shall live by faith" because I've been preaching a series on the book of Romans, so this chapter was timely! If you think about righteousness as having a right relationship with God, then it makes sense that the righteous will live by faith. If we are truly living by faith, we are trusting God in the face of our impossible circumstances as well as our undeserving character, and in doing so, we are realizing our humble position in respect to our omnipotent, yet compassionate God. I think a big part of righteousness is finally gaining that perspective--then we really can trust Him. That is just the beginning of the loving relationship He is longing to establish with us! No wonder we call it amazing grace!
