Be an Abraham

Hebrews 11:8 (AMP)

[Urged on] by faith Abraham, when he was called, 

obeyed and went forth to a place which he was destined to receive as an inheritance; 

and he went, although he did not know or trouble his mind about where he was to go.

Several years ago I started reading through the Bible "in a year". I put that prepositional phrase in quotes because this only happened as I learned to leave the legalism of this task behind, and pick up the freedom of reading in a God-year, the kind where a day is as a thousand years and a thousand years is as a day. So, reading all of the Word is the goal, not necessary the time-frame. By reading about 5 chapters a day, some days less, occasionally more, I make certain that I am reading all of Scripture over and over again. It always amazes me how wherever I am in the Bible meets me wherever I am in life at that moment. That's what a God-year is. This "year" I decided to read from the Amplified version. NIV has been my go-to since the whole church purchased those hardback black-covered NIV Bibles in the 80s. Reading from a lesser-known version has brought life to verses that I've read and heard so often in the past.

This morning, reading in Hebrews, it was the phrase "trouble his mind about" that jumped out at me. Maybe it was because I had spent an hour or more just before sitting down to read, doing just that, troubling my mind, about a potential job opportunity.  I had also prayed for a child who had asked for prayer concerning a possible job opportunity.  During that prayer time, God brought to mind Isaiah 30:15:

This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says:

"In repentance and rest is your salvation,

in quietness and trust is your strength,

but you would have none of it."

Ouch. Then came the reading of that "troubling your mind" business. Abraham certainly wasn't perfect and I'm thankful for the Scriptures that are always reminding us that Jesus was the only perfect human that ever walked this earth, but he did seem to follow his Lord in quietness and strength. When asked to move without being told a destination, when asked to walk into difficult circumstances without being told how or when the circumstances would change, when asked to believe a promise without being told the date of fruition, he followed and "did not trouble his mind." And when he did trouble his mind? That's when he got himself into trouble, making up his own plans, doing things his way, and causing chaos and strife that lasted for generations.

Father, I don't want to trouble my mind about anything. I want to follow you wherever you will send me, sight unseen, without troubling my mind about where we are going, what we are doing, or how or when you will fulfill your promises. I don't want to do things my way and cause chaos and strife for myself and those who come after me. Make me an Abraham. I want to be in your "By Faith Hall of Fame". I only want to hear you say, "Well done, my good and faithful servant."