Walking by Faith
Lessons from Abraham's Journey
In life, we often find ourselves at crossroads where what we see conflicts with what we believe. It's in these moments that our faith is truly tested. The story of Abraham (initially called Abram) provides a powerful illustration of the struggle between walking by faith and walking by sight.
Imagine receiving a promise from God – a land for your descendants, a great nation to come from your lineage. Now imagine that same promised land struck by famine, forcing you to seek refuge elsewhere. This was Abraham's reality. God had promised him Canaan, but suddenly Canaan no longer looked good. Egypt, on the other hand, seemed like a tempting alternative.
In this pivotal moment, Abraham faced a decision: Would he walk by faith in the Lord and His promise, or would he be moved by what he could see? Unfortunately, Abraham's doubt led to self-preservation, which turned to fear. This cycle culminated in one of his most shameful moments – offering his wife to Pharaoh to save his own skin.
It's easy to judge Abraham's actions, but how many of us have found ourselves in low moments where we know our sin is shameful? The beauty of this story lies not in Abraham's failure, but in God's response. What saved Abraham from his sin and shame? It wasn't his strength, abilities, or willpower. It wasn't the law – that came hundreds of years later. It was purely the grace of God.
God stepped into the middle of Abraham's mess, his sin, and his shame, and delivered him and his wife out of Egypt. This serves as a powerful reminder: Your sin may be great, but as Romans 5:20 tells us, "where sin abounded, grace abounded much more." Whatever you're struggling with, run to your God whose grace is greater than your struggles. He loves you and He cares for you.
After this experience, we see a change in Abraham. When faced with another challenging situation – limited resources and strife between his herdsmen and those of his nephew Lot – Abraham responds differently. Instead of scheming and manipulating as he did in Egypt, Abraham trusts the Lord in His promise and responds in faith.
Abraham could have asserted his rights as the one to whom God made the promise. Instead, he looked at Lot with full confidence in God's promise and said, "Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, for we are kinsmen. Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right, or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left."
This response flies in the face of worldly wisdom. The world tells us we need to look out for ourselves because if we don't, then nobody will. But that's not how God wants us to live. He wants us to walk by faith, trusting that He goes before us and stands behind us. He watches our back and goes into our tomorrow, preparing gleanings of grace for us to simply pick up and enjoy.
Contrast Abraham's faith with Lot's decision. Lot made his choice based solely on what he could see. He saw a green land with fertile soil and rivers flowing throughout – so beautiful and abundant that it was compared to the Garden of Eden. What Lot failed to see, however, was the wickedness in the land. His decision, based purely on sight, would eventually lead him into danger and loss.
As we navigate life, we must remember that we cannot make decisions purely by what we see. We must involve the Lord and seek Him in our decision-making processes. That person you're interested in may look extra fine, but have you sought the Lord about it? That promotion or investment opportunity may look like a once-in-a-lifetime deal, but have you sought the Lord about it? God isn't here to squash our excitement about potential opportunities. But He does care for us and love us so much that He wants to protect us from harm and position us for His absolute best.
After Lot's departure, God comforts and reassures Abraham by repeating His promise: "Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward, for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever." This moment beautifully illustrates how God responds to our faith. When we choose to trust Him, even when circumstances look bleak, He reassures us of His faithfulness.
Whatever you're going through, whatever pain you're experiencing, it's crucial to maintain an eternal perspective. As 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 reminds us, "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
The challenges we face in this life are temporary, but they are working for us an eternal glory that outweighs them all. There is a promise to you that is eternal – the promise of eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ. You may not be able to see the promise now. You may only see your current circumstances. But let this encourage you to walk by faith, not by sight.
Remember, when you find yourself in a mess of your own making, shackled by sin or overwhelmed by the craziness of the world, Jesus stands ready to meet you. He died for your sin and shame, bearing the wrath of God upon Himself, not out of obligation, but out of deep, irrational love for you. His grace is greater than your sin, His sacrifice more powerful than your failures.
As you navigate the challenges of life, choose to walk by faith. Trust in God's goodness and grace towards you. Get up and walk by faith in the Lord, and watch as the Holy Spirit transforms you more and more into the image of Christ. In your moments of failure, exercise your faith by declaring, "I am the righteousness of God in Christ" – not because of who you are or what you've done, but because of who Jesus is and what He has done.
This is the essence of being saved by grace through faith. And there's no better time to exercise that faith than in the midst of your failure. So lift your eyes from your current situation, fix them on Jesus, the author and perfecter of your faith, and step forward in confidence, knowing that you walk on favored ground.
Imagine receiving a promise from God – a land for your descendants, a great nation to come from your lineage. Now imagine that same promised land struck by famine, forcing you to seek refuge elsewhere. This was Abraham's reality. God had promised him Canaan, but suddenly Canaan no longer looked good. Egypt, on the other hand, seemed like a tempting alternative.
In this pivotal moment, Abraham faced a decision: Would he walk by faith in the Lord and His promise, or would he be moved by what he could see? Unfortunately, Abraham's doubt led to self-preservation, which turned to fear. This cycle culminated in one of his most shameful moments – offering his wife to Pharaoh to save his own skin.
It's easy to judge Abraham's actions, but how many of us have found ourselves in low moments where we know our sin is shameful? The beauty of this story lies not in Abraham's failure, but in God's response. What saved Abraham from his sin and shame? It wasn't his strength, abilities, or willpower. It wasn't the law – that came hundreds of years later. It was purely the grace of God.
God stepped into the middle of Abraham's mess, his sin, and his shame, and delivered him and his wife out of Egypt. This serves as a powerful reminder: Your sin may be great, but as Romans 5:20 tells us, "where sin abounded, grace abounded much more." Whatever you're struggling with, run to your God whose grace is greater than your struggles. He loves you and He cares for you.
After this experience, we see a change in Abraham. When faced with another challenging situation – limited resources and strife between his herdsmen and those of his nephew Lot – Abraham responds differently. Instead of scheming and manipulating as he did in Egypt, Abraham trusts the Lord in His promise and responds in faith.
Abraham could have asserted his rights as the one to whom God made the promise. Instead, he looked at Lot with full confidence in God's promise and said, "Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, for we are kinsmen. Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right, or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left."
This response flies in the face of worldly wisdom. The world tells us we need to look out for ourselves because if we don't, then nobody will. But that's not how God wants us to live. He wants us to walk by faith, trusting that He goes before us and stands behind us. He watches our back and goes into our tomorrow, preparing gleanings of grace for us to simply pick up and enjoy.
Contrast Abraham's faith with Lot's decision. Lot made his choice based solely on what he could see. He saw a green land with fertile soil and rivers flowing throughout – so beautiful and abundant that it was compared to the Garden of Eden. What Lot failed to see, however, was the wickedness in the land. His decision, based purely on sight, would eventually lead him into danger and loss.
As we navigate life, we must remember that we cannot make decisions purely by what we see. We must involve the Lord and seek Him in our decision-making processes. That person you're interested in may look extra fine, but have you sought the Lord about it? That promotion or investment opportunity may look like a once-in-a-lifetime deal, but have you sought the Lord about it? God isn't here to squash our excitement about potential opportunities. But He does care for us and love us so much that He wants to protect us from harm and position us for His absolute best.
After Lot's departure, God comforts and reassures Abraham by repeating His promise: "Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward, for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever." This moment beautifully illustrates how God responds to our faith. When we choose to trust Him, even when circumstances look bleak, He reassures us of His faithfulness.
Whatever you're going through, whatever pain you're experiencing, it's crucial to maintain an eternal perspective. As 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 reminds us, "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
The challenges we face in this life are temporary, but they are working for us an eternal glory that outweighs them all. There is a promise to you that is eternal – the promise of eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ. You may not be able to see the promise now. You may only see your current circumstances. But let this encourage you to walk by faith, not by sight.
Remember, when you find yourself in a mess of your own making, shackled by sin or overwhelmed by the craziness of the world, Jesus stands ready to meet you. He died for your sin and shame, bearing the wrath of God upon Himself, not out of obligation, but out of deep, irrational love for you. His grace is greater than your sin, His sacrifice more powerful than your failures.
As you navigate the challenges of life, choose to walk by faith. Trust in God's goodness and grace towards you. Get up and walk by faith in the Lord, and watch as the Holy Spirit transforms you more and more into the image of Christ. In your moments of failure, exercise your faith by declaring, "I am the righteousness of God in Christ" – not because of who you are or what you've done, but because of who Jesus is and what He has done.
This is the essence of being saved by grace through faith. And there's no better time to exercise that faith than in the midst of your failure. So lift your eyes from your current situation, fix them on Jesus, the author and perfecter of your faith, and step forward in confidence, knowing that you walk on favored ground.
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