Follow Me

Genesis 12:1

Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.”

Abram was asked to leave everything he knew, everything that gave him identity.  God asked him to leave his country and his family.  He left the land he knew.  He left his family and friends, taking only his wife, his nephew and his servants.  Abram moved in faith.  He had no idea where he was going or even why, other than God told him to and promised to make him a great nation. 

Just close your eyes and try to imagine what Abram was experiencing.  My husband and my faith was challenged  just like that, only my eyes were wide open.  I was laid off from my job, one that I had held for seventeen years.  That job was my identity.  I was a teacher.  When I was laid off, my husband and I knew we had to do something drastic.  We looked at our options and decided that a move might be best for us. The kids were grown and on their own, and we had always wanted to move to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, maybe this was our opportunity.  God made it clear that He was calling us to this new land. He provided each and every step of the way.  He provided money for gas and hotels when we had job interviews.  We had people pay our toll across the Mackinac Bridge and we even got dessert for free one time.  We left a thriving ministry behind. We left our family behind and the area where we had both grown up. There were hard feelings in my extended family about the move and it really hurt.  God showed us during this move that we had let our ministry and jobs define who we were.  When we moved to this small town, we had no idea what God had in store for us, and to be honest, we still don’t most days.  

We went through a time of rest, which was very difficult for two busy first borns, and we weren’t very good at it.  But in that time, God taught us how to rest in Him and to look to Him for our identity.  To allow Him to lead us.  To look to Him for our every need.  It was a time of great discovery.  We discovered more about who we are in Christ. Most days we still feel like we are in a holding pattern. We are waiting for God to use us.

Sometimes God puts us in situations to grow our faith, to make us stronger by showing us how weak we really are. Sometimes he wants to reward our trust and confidence in him.  Sometimes God also calls us out of our comfort zone to prepare us for something bigger, He sets us apart to grow us into what God needs us to be. Sometimes He does all three. I need to get back to my faith – to simply follow God and do exactly what He asks, not caring about the outcome.  Just trusting Him. 

Father, lead me.  I trust you and will follow you where You lead.  I don’t need to know the outcome.  I just need You.