Today Daily Devotional

Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

— Genesis 15:6

Wrapped into the story of Abra­ham is this foundational truth about eternal salvation. The apostle Paul picks up this truth and unpacks it for us in Romans 4 (see also Galatians 3). This helps us to see that there is only one way to be made right with God—and that is through faith.

In Romans 4, Paul speaks of two kinds of righteousness. The first kind has to do with keeping God’s law in order to be acceptable to God. In this scenario, hard work and self-sacrificing service earn the award of being righteous before God. Only Jesus could accomplish this, because he is the only human who never sinned or broke God’s law.

The other kind of righteousness is applied through faith in God and in his power to save us through Jesus, his Son. When we believe and trust in God, as Abraham did, we are credited with the righteousness that Jesus earned for us. This benefit comes to all who believe—from Abraham on down through the centuries to us today. When God looks at us, he doesn’t see all the good or bad things we have done. Instead, he sees us clothed in Jesus’ righteousness.

Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice is sufficient for our complete salvation. There is nothing we can add to it. The only thing left is to believe, receive eternal life, and demonstrate our gratitude through a life of humble service.

Lord Jesus, thank you for all you have done to save us, so that we can be credited with your righteousness. Guide us to trust and serve you always. Amen.

Abram said, “Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?”

— Genesis 15:2

Despite having great faith, Abra­ham could be unsettled by nagging fears and doubts.

That is why, in the opening of Genesis 15, God says to him, “Do not be afraid. . . . I am your shield, your very great reward.” Abraham was struggling to believe. God’s promise to make him the father of a great nation was now about ten years old, and he and Sarai did not have a child.

We all know the pain of promises unfulfilled; they can leave an aching void in our hearts and homes. Perhaps we follow God’s call and step out in faith. We risk something for his kingdom, but we don’t see the hoped-for results. At times like that, it can be hard to keep trusting in God. Like the psalmist we cry out, “How long, Lord, how long?” (Psalm 6:3).

The good news is that God understands our doubts and fears. He graciously responds to the prayer that says, “Lord, I believe. Help me overcome my unbelief. Help me trust you more—even when I don’t see or understand your ways, even when it seems to be taking so long” (see Mark 9:24).

God explains that his ways are higher than we can imagine (Isaiah 55:9). And his timing is impeccable—never early, ­never late. Trusting in these truths allows us to experience God’s peace and rest.

Heavenly Father, calm our anxious minds and troubled hearts today. Help us to trust you completely with whatever is disturbing us. In the power­ful name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

Melchizedek king of Salem . . . was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram. . . . Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

— Genesis 14:18-20

Often in daily life, it’s not what you know but who you know that counts. The same is true in our spiritual life: what matters most for our salvation is not what we know but who we know. As believers in Christ, we know the One whose name is above every other name. Jesus, Lord of all, is seated at the right hand of the Father in heaven.

Genesis 14 and Hebrews 7 tell us about Abraham’s remarkable encounter with Melchize­dek—a man who had a high position of authority in the ancient world. Although he is a mysterious figure in Scripture, Melchizedek was both a king and a priest of the highest ­order. And yet he came to bless Abraham. And Abraham responded by giving a tenth of his possessions (a symbol of gratitude) to this great king.

On multiple levels, Melchize­dek is a representative of Jesus Christ, our great high priest and eternal King. Mighty in power, Jesus came in grace to bless and forgive. In response, we acknowledge his rightful rule over us. And we express our gratitude by returning a portion of our possessions to him.

Having this friend in the highest place means that we can “approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace” (Hebrews 4:16).

Lord Jesus, thank you for befriending us and being gracious to us even when we do not deserve it. May our lives be an expression of gratitude for all you have done for us. Amen.

The Lord said to Abram . . . “All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever.”

— Genesis 13:14-15

As the elder family member, Abraham had the right to choose which land he would take for himself. But he surrendered that right and let his nephew Lot choose first. Setting his sights on greater things, Abraham trusted God to take care of him, no matter which part of the land he would receive.

In faith, Abraham turned the situation over to the Lord—not allowing his possessions to possess him. This freed him to enjoy God’s blessings without clinging to them or grasping for more. Abraham was able to hold on loosely to the things of this world.

And surprisingly, Abraham received more than he gave up. God promised him that one day all of the land he could see around him would belong to him and his descendants. From this we learn that God honors those who yield their rights and surrender their resources for his greater purposes.

Abraham’s choice points us to Jesus, who chose to give up his rights for a more glorious purpose. Philippians 2:6-9 explains that Jesus “did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,” but instead “emptied himself” for our sake. And in doing that, he received “the name that is above every name.” Be ­assured that God blesses all who entrust their future to him.

Lord Jesus, thank you for giving yourself for our sake. May our lives reflect the same attitude, pointing others to your great love for us all. Amen.

Lot looked around and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan toward Zoar was well watered . . . like the land of Egypt.

— Genesis 13:10

Abraham and his nephew Lot were wealthy sheepherders. But bickering broke out between their herdsmen. To resolve this turf war, Abraham suggested they herd their livestock in separate areas. After all, there was plenty of good land to use.

Lot eyed the fertile land by the Jordan River. He wanted the best for himself, so the choice became a no-brainer for him. But Lot lacked discernment and saw only the attraction of the land in front of him. He did not consider the long-term spiritual consequences of living near Sodom and Gomorrah, with their evil influences—or maybe he just didn’t care. Lot’s vision was clouded by the material prosperity he saw. He pitched his tents near Sodom—and eventually became a resident there (Genesis 14:11). Later on, Lot lost everything—even those who were close to him. Small concessions and little compromises along the way led to disaster (Genesis 19).

Lot’s life serves as a warning sign. We cannot compromise with wickedness and evil and come away unscathed. We can­not dance with the devil without getting hurt. Moral compromise begins with small steps in the wrong direction.

Lord, worldly pleasures and earthly gains dazzle us, and we can easily lose our way. Guide us to ask for your wisdom and to live by it. Strengthen us to be able to resist the devil and to draw near to you. In Jesus, Amen.

He went from place to place until he came . . . to the place between Bethel and Ai . . . where he had first built an altar.

— Genesis 13:3-4

In the 1990s I was involved in planting a new church in a suburb of Chicago. We had no church building of our own, so we had to be portable. As a result, we ended up worshiping in six different locations within five years. In that way we were something like Abraham, who took his worship with him as he moved around.

Several times in Genesis 12-13 we read that Abraham built an altar to the Lord—turning ordinary places into sacred spaces. This showed that wherever he went, Abraham could worship God. It also showed that God is totally different from the false gods of other nations, who believed their gods had power only in their area or over certain things. In fact, God is the one true God, the Lord of heaven and earth. God is every­where, and he rules over all things. Sadly, we do not read of Abraham worshiping God while he was in Egypt, but God `was there anyway, protecting him and Sarai (Genesis 12:10-20).

Having come back from Egypt, Abraham made worship a priority. Through worship his faith was strengthened and his vision expanded.

Worship can have the same ­effect on us. And instead of only having a brief time of worship in a church on Sunday, we can take our worship with us every day, giving God glory wherever we go and in everything we do.

Lord God, may we praise you always. May your glory be reflected in all we say and do. Keep us faith­ful in worshiping you, Lord. Amen.

“What have you done to me?” [Pharaoh] said. “Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife?”

— Genesis 12:18-19

When a famine came to the land of Canaan, Abraham left the land God had promised him and went to Egypt. Didn’t Abraham trust God enough to provide for him?

Then, in Egypt, as we can see, Abraham depended more on his wits than on God. Fearing that his wife’s beauty would create a problem, Abraham lied, saying that Sarai was his sister. Rather than trusting in God’s protection, Abraham did what many of us do. He gave in to his fears and went into self-protection mode.

The result of Abraham’s schem­ing is that Sarai is taken into Pharaoh’s harem, and then Pharaoh and his household get sick. Eventually discovering the truth, Pharaoh confronts Abraham. There is more than a bit of irony in this scene—a ruler who worships other gods ­reprimands a God-fearing believer for not doing the right thing.

God’s rebuke of Abraham comes through the words of Pharaoh. We can be sure that Abraham felt the sting of humilia­tion for his faithless acts. The point is that God can use all kinds of means to get his message across to his people who stray from his calling.

Have you ever been rebuked in such a way for stumbling in your walk of faith? It’s embarrassing and humiliating. But God’s grace overrides his people’s failures. In his grace, God is willing to forgive, restore, and redirect our steps back to his way of right living.

Lord, when we fail, give us more grace. Though we can step out of your will, it’s good to know that we never step out of your care. Amen.

There was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while. . . .

— Genesis 12:10

Earlier in Genesis 12 we saw how Abraham obeyed God’s call, setting out on a long journey that brought him to the land of Canaan. Then he ­traveled throughout the land, stopping here and there to build an altar to worship the Lord. Now we have learned that a famine struck the land, so Abraham went to Egypt and lived there for a while.

We can experience downturns and crisis situations too. We take God at his word and step out in faith. But then our hopes and plans might be dashed by a significant loss. A job opportunity can fall through, a marriage can fail, a ministry can falter. We can face a financial or physical health crisis. Though we might be obediently following God, it can seem as if our whole world is turning upside down.

The famine Abraham experienced was likely a test of his faith. But instead of trusting in God, who had brought him safely to Canaan, Abraham fled to Egypt. And that decision soon cost him dearly.

Just because we follow God’s call in our lives, that doesn’t mean things will always go smoothly. God often allows trouble to come our way in order to stretch and strengthen our faith. Rather than second-guessing God or our decision to follow him, we need to hold on to the Lord in faith, believing that where God guides, he also provides.

Lord God, forgive us when our faith wavers amid the trials of life. We believe you are mighty to save. Help us to hold on to you in times of doubt and trouble. Amen.

By faith [Abraham] made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country.

— Hebrews 11:9

Most of us have a warm spot in our hearts for home. Even the word home can bring feelings of warmth, love, and security. Though we may grow up and eventually leave our home of origin, our home never quite leaves us.

For much of his life, Abraham was a nomad, moving from one place to another. Even though he left behind places that he could have called home, the book of Hebrews tells us he was “looking forward” to finding his home with God. That’s because God called him—and by faith Abraham followed.

Oftentimes Abraham lived as an outsider in a foreign land. He knew what it was like to be different from the people around him. As a sojourner, he faithfully followed the Lord as his guide and as God fulfilled promises in his life.

All of us who consider ourselves spiritual children of Abra­ham have a similar mindset. We follow where the Lord leads. As followers of Jesus, we are never completely comfortable or at home with the value system and lifestyle of this world. As a result, we don’t drive our stakes too deeply into the ground. Instead we travel lightly. Even if we don’t travel to distant lands, we focus on living as citizens of God’s kingdom. We live in such a way that we long not only for our home with God but also to help bring his coming kingdom here on earth.

Father, thank you for the promise of having our eternal home with you. Be our steadfast guide as we journey through this life, sharing your goodness everywhere. Amen.

“I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.”

— Genesis 12:2

It would be an understatement to say that Genesis 12:1-3 is a pivotal passage in Scripture. Many of the key events in God’s calling and saving his people flow from this passage. Before sending Abraham out on his world-saving mission, God loads him up with an armful of promises. God says, in effect, “I will give you my presence, my guidance, my pro­tection, and my favor.”

It’s easy to focus on everything Abraham is leaving behind as he follows God’s call. But we have to remember what Abra­ham receives as he follows. God promises that Abraham will inherit a great land and become the father of a great nation, and that all peoples will be blessed through him. Later God made this even clearer by sending his Son, Jesus, born as a descendant of Abraham, to be the promised Savior of the world. Abraham didn’t fully understand all the implications of God’s promises. He didn’t have to. God just called him to walk forward with confidence, trusting in his word.

In many ways, it’s no different for us today. Though we have a fuller revelation of God’s plan than Abraham did, we do not see all its glorious details. This means that faith is still required if we want to see God’s great blessings, and to be God’s great blessing to others.

Lord, thank you for your promises. We don’t know all that’s ahead of us, but we do know the One who is leading us. Help us to trust in you fully. Amen.