In Genesis 13 and 14 we read the story of Abraham. He has left his father's house, put his trust in God, and experienced a fair amount of difficulty (famine, the theft of his wife, plagues, wandering). Finally, God speaks to His chosen servant and explains the promise of land that He is going to bestow upon him. However, God tells Abraham, in very specific terms, to WALK OUT the land and wherever he walks, that will be what God gives to him.

Abraham sets out on his journey but doesn't make it very far before stopping and settling his small tribe at Hebron which is so far South in the land that he hadn't even reached where Jerusalem would be yet! We can't know Abraham's motivation for stopping: perhaps it was a lack of trust that God would deliver more than the small area he traversed, perhaps it was humility believing he didn't deserve more than that, or perhaps it was gratitude thinking "if God even gave me this small portion, it would be enough for my small group."

Whatever the reason for Abraham's stopping, God intended much greater blessings of land for His chosen people and, in a strange turn of events, presents Abraham with some provocation/trials that lead to Abraham's continued survey of the promised land.

Our trials nearly never feel like paths to gain. At best, we might learn a thing or two in the end that we're glad to have learned. However, as is evidenced by this story, sometimes God allows trials in our lives to push us towards greater blessings while, if left to our own devices, we might settle.

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Logo: Matt Hernandez

Music: Acoustic Indie Folk Years By MarkJuly