July 30, 2026:

GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY:

“HE also said to him, ‘I AM, the Lord who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it.’ In response, Abram said, ‘Sovereign Lord, how can I know that I will gain possession of it?‘” (Genesis 15.7-8)

TODAY’S REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD:

We cannot have it both ways: either we believe or we don’t. While the options exist, including the one that dwells in between, they are present only as the boundary of life guidelines. Outside of them, only chaos exists. This is the place where Satan dwells and will dwell forever. That he is able to make his forays into our lives and into the world is truly by invitation only. He can be rebuked out of our lives and the lives of others. That is a “most assuredly” reality when we walk by faith and not by sight. This is what Abram had to and was learning in his call to trust God’s calling him to the land of Canaan. If you were to go back and read the story of Abram to this point, you will see (allow this challenge to direct your attention) the vacillation of his desire to follow and step back. He can be confident and bold. He can be skeptical and afraid. He is human (that is, human after the Fall). Yet, the image in which he was, and we are, made is not curried by doubt but resourced with the Word of God. The Word was given by God. Whether Abram first accepted it out of desperation to be removed from the Ur of the Chaldees or in the movement of the Spirit working in and around him, the Word was given. That Word is given to us and to everyone in the world in every age. The “problem” is not in the Word but in us, each one of us. How many will listen with the filter of “faith only”? How many will listen with the filter of “what about me”? How many will listen with the filter of culture and climate created by those who have not listened and have not seen or listened and visualized imperfectly for all kinds of reasons not under their control? What we have in the Bible is the story, the epic, the journey of those who regardless of circumstances continued to hear and see the Word of God and listened and put it into action or allowing it to work on, in and through their lives.

Today’s passage from Abram’s being blessed with the provision of the land God had promised as well as the legacy of humanity to follow him in and thus beyond that place, is another vacillation example. After opening Abram’s eyes to his future and the descendants of both blood and faith, Abram is then redirected to the land of his sojourn. It isn’t just a homestead, it is a destiny which points far beyond him. This land which God is giving because He is Sovereign over it all, is the field of the future reclamation of all who will be the people of God among those who are God’s people. I find it strange that after Abram defeated an “undefeatable” foe with only 318 men on a nearly 300 mile long battle that he doubts he can take possession of all the land he has been shown. Once again, he falls back into the trap of “works righteousness, per se” instead of seeing the righteousness of God at work! This is the message at play throughout scripture. We will hear it in the story of Joseph as he declares in the reclaiming of his brothers into the family, “What you intended for evil, God has worked for good.” It is in the New Testament promise as well, as Paul was speaking to the disciples and other followers concerning the ministry of reconciliation, “You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.” (the true application and meaning of that verse) It helps us to stay focused on what it is we are to do as the people of God in the world. We are called to live out our mission and purpose for God’s people as ambassadors and emmisaries of God through Jesus Christ. We do not do these works to be saved but because we have been saved. Because we have been saved, it should be our desire that others receive Jesus as their Savior, too. Regardless of our geography, our legacy should never differ so that the descendants of faith will be as numerous as the stars in the heavens and the grains of sand by the sea. How shall we take possession of the land? By believing in God and trusting Him in all things. He will do what He has said He will do.

TODAY’S PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING:

Father, in these days we are finding the need to believe even more than ever before. We all have known trouble, some in greater ways than others, but You are offering us the assurance that we will not be consumed by it forever. Regardless of the “time” we are in and the “time” we have been given, we ask for Your Holy Spirit which Jesus asked You to share with us, to lead and guide and direct us in the paths we should go. Teach us what we still need to learn. Empower us to put that learning into action. Bless our actions not as a works righteousness but as righteous works of faith, hope and love in Jesus’ name. AMEN.