14 day plan

God's Big Story

Day 4 of 14

CSB

Genesis 12:1-3

The Call of Abram

1The Lord said to Abram:

Go from your land,

your relatives,

and your father’s house

to the land that I will show you.

2I will make you into a great nation,

I will bless you,

I will make your name great,

and you will be a blessing.

3I will bless those who bless you,

I will curse anyone who treats you with contempt,

and all the peoples on earth

will be blessed through you.

Reflections:  An unexpected calling

This chapter marks the beginning of God’s plan and promise to renew and restore all things. But it comes in a most unexpected way, through the choice of one old man and his barren wife, called to leave everything they have known and trust the God who is leading them. God promises Abraham and his family a land to live and walk upon, descendants to continue their family line, a special relationship with God, and God’s gracious favour. At this point in the story, these promises are outlandish and seem highly unlikely. But Abraham is called to respond with faith, trusting that God will do what he has said. Importantly, the promises to Abraham are not just for his own benefit, but through him for the whole world. This is one small step towards God renewing his vision for all humanity.

Questions:  How might God be calling you in unexpected ways to be part of his promise and plan of blessing for all people? Will you trust him even when his promises seem impossible?

Prayers:  Gracious God, thank you for your promises to show your favour and blessing to all people. Give me courage like Abraham to respond to your call and step out in faith so that I might be part of all you are doing in the world.

© 2017 Holman Bible Publishers

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Genesis 12:1-20

The Call of Abram

1The Lord said to Abram:

Go from your land,

your relatives,

and your father’s house

to the land that I will show you.

2I will make you into a great nation,

I will bless you,

I will make your name great,

and you will be a blessing.

3I will bless those who bless you,

I will curse anyone who treats you with contempt,

and all the peoples on earth

will be blessed through you.

4So Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. 5He took his wife, Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated, and the people they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan, 6Abram passed through the land to the site of Shechem, at the oak of Moreh. (At that time the Canaanites were in the land.) 7The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the Lord who had appeared to him. 8From there he moved on to the hill country east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. He built an altar to the Lord there, and he called on the name of the Lord. 9Then Abram journeyed by stages to the Negev.

Abram in Egypt

10There was a famine in the land, so Abram went down to Egypt to stay there for a while because the famine in the land was severe. 11When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife, Sarai, “Look, I know what a beautiful woman you are. 12When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ They will kill me but let you live. 13Please say you’re my sister so it will go well for me because of you, and my life will be spared on your account.” 14When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful. 15Pharaoh’s officials saw her and praised her to Pharaoh, so the woman was taken to Pharaoh’s household. 16He treated Abram well because of her, and Abram acquired flocks and herds, male and female donkeys, male and female slaves, and camels.

17But the Lord struck Pharaoh and his household with severe plagues because of Abram’s wife, Sarai. 18So Pharaoh sent for Abram and said, “What have you done to me? Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife? 19Why did you say, ‘She’s my sister,’ so that I took her as my wife? Now, here is your wife. Take her and go!” 20Then Pharaoh gave his men orders about him, and they sent him away with his wife and all he had.

© 2017 Holman Bible Publishers