You Commit First
He was so keen to get rich quick
Reference: When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless. (Genesis 17:1 NIV)
Explore: I was recently talking to a young friend of mine who was searching for his opportunity for success. He was so keen to get rich quick that he had already gone through five jobs in the last 18 months.
Instead of analysing his skills and working hard in refining those areas, he was just jumping from job to job. If a job did not satisfy his financial needs within one month then he would start searching for another.
He had the gift of the gab and would talk his way into his new opportunity, but I worried about his future as potential employees would soon start picking up on his lack of persistence and loyalty.
Application: While my impatient friend worried me, I could see some similar attributes in my own life. The workplace was not the area I let out my impatience, as I like to stick at one thing and work to perfecting it.
My health is an area where I act the same. I like to eat unhealthily and not exercise but get frustrated when I put on weight.
Some people act this way in their faith too. They want to sleep in on Sundays and spend all their time and money on themselves but when it comes to a crisis they want Jesus to solve things straight away.
God did great things for Abram. He made him the father of many nations, powerful and influential. So great we are still talking about him today.
But first, Abram had to be faithful to God and live a blameless life. God gives us many blessings we don’t deserve but He is also a wise father, and gives to those who will be faithful with His gifts.
I wouldn’t give $1000 to my eight year old otherwise my house would be filled with bubblegum. But I would give $1000 to my church as it looks towards building the Kingdom of God.
We can go to God at any time, no matter what we have done. But our future grows when we show dedication and faithfulness to Him.
Prayer: Lord, You are faithful to us, more than we ever deserve. May we commit ourselves to You, knowing that Your blessing is all we should be seeking. Amen.
How faithful are you to God?
This article was written by Linda Bailey
Linda started theological studies in 1999 in Australia. After working for ten years in various church ministries, she now works as the breakfast producer at 89.9 LightFM - the Christian radio station in Melbourne, Australia. She writes blogs every day about passages she is currently reading in the Bible. Follow her on Google Plus +Linda Bailey or Facebook by clicking the like button on the right of this page.