GET THEE OUT

IN THE BEGINNING…THE WORD

DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, JULY 31, 2012

GET THEE OUT

Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:  And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:  And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.  Genesis 12:1-3

 Abram had to have the willingness to follow God’s commands in order to be blessed of God.  God instructed Abram to leave the land and the people of his natural birth so that he could be established as a Father of a great nation.  Why did he have to leave?  First, his family’s country was an idolatrous country unwilling to submit to the laws of God, or to acknowledge the Almighty.  Secondly, Abram ‘s identity had to be rebuilt and recreated.  Abram had to become Abraham as is recorded in Genesis 17:

And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.  And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. Genesis 17:1-5

When God wants to establish you in Him, He has to remove you from what could hold you back.  He sometimes has to uproot you altogether—to replant you in good soil.  Remember, unfruitfulness is the very real danger in living amongst thorns:

 And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. Mark 4:19

Today, let us heed God’s instruction and get out from the destructive thorns!