We focus on verse 2 today. God tells us that if we follow His call "... I will bless you..." AND that "... you will be a blessing." Here He is setting up His covenant with Abram (and us) understanding that He asks a lot in terms of Abram leaving his land, friends and extended family, but He promises much in return.
So what does this mean? Well, God has blessed me in many ways. He's given me a family (immediate and extended), great health, a good mind, some measure of financial success, and an overall feeling of security in general. Considering all this, it would actually be quite easy for me to sit back in the comfort God has provided me in a sense of thankful worship. But there's that other part -"...you will be a blessing." What is that saying? If I'm sitting in God's comfort, how does that make me a blessing to others?
As I ponder this, I suddenly realize that this is a "call" as well. God is providing the blessing to us, but we are called to action to pass the blessing on to others. Maybe that's the part of the "we are pilgrim people" concept we are hearing in the videos and introduction we read last Sunday. We are always moving, striving & seeking to connect with others on our journey so we might pass on God's blessing to others.
God comes along on the journey as we do this... many times in the form of the people we meet along the way. The reading for today focuses on the story about the road to Emaus (Luke 24: 13-35... yes you have to look it up and read it) God travels along with us in our journey, even when we are troubled as the disciples were, and a appropriate times, He reveals himself to us.
This all makes me think about the time I first joined our church. I was really seeking comfort from God and He provided it in the rhythm of the worship services throughout that spring, and in the connections I was making through the Men's Group, etc. But then I felt that familiar feeling that I was to do more than just sit in a pew. We are a pilgrim people, it was time to get moving again. But this time the journey was to Dean and Vicki's offices to discuss becoming part of this "Rite13" thingy. That all lead to a challenge as I got to know all of you... then to a feeling of comfort as we all started "clicking" together... then later I felt another sense of call... more movement... suddenly I'm leading a 30 hour famine... now another sense of call.
You can see how it works. This energy of blessing ebbs and flows inward to me and outward from me to others. This is a brand new concept for me today, but I can see God's beauty in it.
So (as the prayer section today asks) where or for whom are you called to be a blessing today?
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