OCTOBER 13, Genesis 12:5-8

What kind of place had God promised Abram? A nice and safe place? Far from it, the land of Canaan was filled with wicked people. The wicked people served idols and hated God. How could Abram and family survive in such an evil place? This was surely the end for Abram and his wife and nephew.

However, the whole land of Canaan would be given to Abram as a promise of God. Even though God gave Abram the whole land, Abram would live there in tents. These are temporary ‘homes’, which can be assembled or disassembled at any time. It means that Abram was to live as a stranger in a strange land. Abram must not settle down to build a permanent home or a nice dwelling place. He was only travelling through it to his better home in heaven.

In the same way, we are to learn from Abram. Not literally to live like him in tents, but to treat this life on earth as a temporary place before our final home which is in heaven. That is difficult, isn’t it? And often, we do not even think of it that way – we love this life so much we want to live here as long as possible.

Abram was righteous. God wanted all the sinners and heathen in Canaan to see that Abram served the Lord and believed His promises. In order to show the Canaanites that the God of heaven is the only God, Abram went up and down the land building altars to God. Altars were for worship. Abram was to be a witness of God to these wicked people. He was to show them that there is a God who loves them and through his example, perhaps they can understand more about this great God. You may recall a song that goes like this…

This little light of mine I’m gonna let it shine

This little light of mine I’m gonna let it shine

This little light of mine I’m gonna let it shine

Let it shine, Let it shine, Let it shine

Thought: Are you a good witness for God?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, Abram stood out among the wicked people and witnessed to them. He was not ashamed of God. Help me to witness to other people about the love of God and His promises. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.