How are you? How is your week going? Have you been blessed?
This past Sunday, we saw the Lord bless Abram (Abraham). The Lord first tells Abram to go and leave his country, people, and family. This is not just a call to leave what he is familiar with. These are sources of identity and security for people back then, and the Lord is calling him to leave those things. Why?
It’s because the Lord is teaching Abram and us that He is the better portion. He is the more secure security and the more worthy identity. He is the greater comfort and the better treasure. He is greater, and the Lord is calling us to Himself just as He has called Abram.
We leave our former way of life so that we can go and live a new life in the Lord. What are some things we need to give up? What are some “comforts” and “securities” outside of God that we need to turn away from? How do we make Jesus more of our identity and treasure?
The only way we can do this is through the blessing we have received from Him. He becomes our treasure, because He treasured us first. He gave us a great name: Christian (in Christ). He made us into a great nation (by bringing us into the Kingdom). He is the One who brought us into the Promised Land of heaven.
How? It’s through Christ. We receive His great name, because He took on our sinful name on the cross. We are made into a great nation, because He was made into a condemned criminal on the cross. We are brought into the Promised Land of Heaven, because He was exiled on the cross for us.
Essentially, we are blessed, because Christ was cursed on the cross for us. This is how we are able to leave our former sins and idolatries and follow Him. And through His blessing of us, now we can be a blessing to the nations.
New Life, have we turned from our former sins and idolatries? Have we followed Christ alone? Have we experienced all the blessings that are found in Christ? Have we been a blessing?
Think and meditate on these questions as you meditate on the gospel this week.
See you all for Lord’s Day Worship on Sunday! Pray for one another and for our church. Be a blessing!
In Christ,
Pastor Tim
Photo Credit: http://www.motherhoodunscripted.com/?p=6799