Genesis 15
If you were to visit me in the town we live in, it’s possible that you’d take a neighborhood walk with my husband and I. We’d likely make a grocery run together, you’ll watch me apologize to the neighbors for my dog crossing into their yard, and possibly attend church Sunday morning with us. If you were driving around with me, I could get anywhere in town without my GPS, and while it is new for you, it wouldn’t seem new to me.
It’s familiar to me, is what it is. It is familiar, but, what if I told you, my feet feel grounded but not planted?
After church, my husband and I joined each other on our front porch and sat on the rockers, basking in the weather. He asked me the question, “Do you like it here?”
It caught me off guard, of course. I mean, of course I like it here, I thought. If I didn’t like it, wouldn’t I be miserable? As I proceeded to answer that question, I couldn’t seem to avoid the word, but. And the “Yes, but…” or the “I like it, but…” meant there must’ve have been something about it here that did not satisfy me.
I feel grounded – in other words, I feel the dirt between my toes and blades of cut grass tickle my feet. But I don’t feel the worms squirm, the roots dig in, or the rain water nourish the soil. I don’t feel the Sun change where my leaves face, and when the wind comes, it knocks me over as if I’m just an empty plastic pot in the yard. I’m not planted, I’m grounded, and it doesn’t quite feel like this is where I’m supposed to be.
I wonder if this is how Abraham felt when he reached the land of Canaan. Though the Lord came to Abram in a dream, saying, “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great,” it still must’ve felt very lonely. Childless, now fatherless, Abram called out to God, “Behold, you have given me no offspring. A member of my household will be my heir.” And God brought him outside and said to him, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them… So shall your offspring be.” (verses 1-5)
Abram was grounded in Canaan, but the Lord told him to plant roots. Even though he did not see what God had planned for him, he was obedient.
One of my favorite verses, tattooed on my arm, is Hebrews 11:8-10…
“By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.”
And so today, as I am humbled by these words yet again, hear God asking me, “Are you scared to see where I will take you if you are obedient to me?”
Now, back to my husband’s question – do you like it here?
I like it here, but I don’t like waiting on what God has for us here. I don’t like waiting for His Will to show itself. I don’t like feeling disconnected and I don’t like questioning whether or not this is home.
The reality is, God had led us here. It’s evident in so many confirmations by the Spirit when He led us here, and it’s my choice to step forward in obedience.
Lord, today, I am surrendering my idea of Home for Yours. I’m praying you lead my husband and I, unified, to your “Promised Land” for us and bring about community in a whole new way. Lord, I pray that you give me the desire to pray continuously and rely fully on Your Spirit for discernment and responding to the nudges within me. Thank You Lord, for your kindness and patience for us to respond in faith. Help me to go, without knowing where I am going, simply as an act of obedience to You.
So now I will ask you… Are you scared to see where He will take you if you are obedient to Him?
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