Is God central to the choices you make? Do other things come first? Who gave you those things? For what purpose?
An oversimplified view of the life of Abraham does little to address these questions. Yes, he walked by faith. But what choices did he have to make? Did he always act in perfect faith? Or did other things interfere? How was his faith perfected?
“God In Choice” explores the life of Abraham from Haran to Hagar, Genesis 12-16. It is a time of growth in Abraham’s life, and we do well to observe his choices. Yes, he was chosen, called of God, but he still had much to learn. Let us consider two of those life lessons briefly.
Chapter 1: Hearing the Call of God
In the first chapter, Dr. Yoder gets right to the point. To paraphrase, ‘The person who ignores God and doesn’t consider the issues of life is a fool.’ So, first up, if we’re expecting to hear God, we need to get in the habit of listening to Him. Yes, this will set you apart from the crowd, even some friends or family members. But remember, your identity with God is not one of self-glorification, but of use—a tool fit for the Master’s use (Luke 9:62).
Have you prepared to be used by God? Are you faithful where you are at? Some callings take more patience; others take more push, more energy. Could you pull up stakes tomorrow? Are you ready and able to make disciples of Jesus Christ?
Chapter 8: Believe God
Throughout the journey with Abraham, this book frequently returns to the theme, “How do I follow God?” In chapter 8, we return again to the subject of faith, pulled from Genesis 15:1-6.
“…faith in God…is a matter for you to decide. Faith is a decision of the will. Sometimes, though, we may set up some blockades or barriers to our faith. We do it deliberately, and then we say, ‘I can’t believe.’ Well, let’s turn to…God’s Word…which shows us how to get rid of those barriers.”
What’s the best thing we can do with unbelief? Present it honestly and fully to the Almighty. Much ado is made about communication among peers. Some of that advice leads more to manipulation than to honesty. But what about communication with the Almighty? Are you real with Him? Are you afraid if you tell Him everything, you’ll be more responsible? If you know it, God knows it. You’re already responsible.
But you know what? If you acknowledge it, you open yourself up to what He knows…things you don’t know. Walking with God, you can find resolution and fulfillment. Many times, we lack fulfillment because we’re not doing what God wants, or we’re doing it half-heartedly.
Consider Hebrews 11:6 KJV – “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Is this you? Where are you?
Closing
There are many other situations to be explored in this booklet: Abraham in Egypt, Abraham and Lot, Abraham and Hagar, and more. What might you learn about choosing God’s Way?
“God In Choice” is part of a legacy sermon series on Genesis by Dr. J. Otis Yoder. There are 11 total booklets in that series. We are working to republish more of these devotional commentaries over the next few years. Is the Genesis series of interest to you? Let us know what interests you.
– Eric Druist
P.S. If you’re more interested in the blog post than the booklet, might I give you an assignment for personal study? Consider the wealth of Abraham in light of Mark 10:23-27. How many times did money cause Abraham to falter? Consider his growth in that area.