Somedays life is just hard. The believers hearing 1 John were given a reminder that their faith in Jesus is meant to be a foundation that they can lean on, trust in, and stand on no matter what life sends their way. That learning about Jesus and growing in their faith is wonderful and central, but not to fall into a trap of thinking that their faith rests in their head, but instead rests in the Holy Spirit’s work in their lives.
After some time Abram and his nephew find themselves in a place of conflict. So they are given a choice, options of how to move forward. The choice seems clear from a human perspective, but sometimes God’s wisdom is not the same as human wisdom, and His plans do not match ours.
As Abram traveled, his family drew the attention of other nations, as they would pass by and through. Abram felt a tension that we all know well. Do I need to take matters into my own hands or do I wait for God’s guidance on this?
When God steps into Abram’s life he has a big ask and promise for him. God promises to make a great nation out of his family. The ask: leave his lucrative life, pack up what he can travel with and head out that way. No clear sense of his final destination, just pack up, and start moving. Take the next faithful step, trusting that God will reveal the next step on the way to the first one.