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8/20 Reading Portions: 1 Samuel 12; Romans 10; Jeremiah 49; Psalms 26-27
Genesis 12:9
And Abram journeyed on, still going toward the Negeb.
NEGEB
While we could see in our devotional consideration of Genesis 12:4 how Abram’s delay in Haran allowed him to become a prophetic type of Christ; and also, from our devotional consideration of Genesis 12:5-6 how God’s sovereign plans and purposes were established through Abram’s stay in Haran, we are not fatalists, throwing caution to the wind and living in whatever way we choose. We move forward in our sojourn like Abram, pressing toward the goal of the upward call in Christ, as it is written,
Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me His own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:12-14
Abram journeyed southward (toward the Negeb), living by faith and making choices with what information he had. As I mentioned in those previous devotional thoughts, we don’t always see that kind of spiritual work going on in our lives; not until years later, if that. We do not often see our lives conforming to the image of Christ, or how our situations and circumstances lay the foundation for God’s later gospel plans and purposes. But it doesn’t mean we are frozen with fear or bound up by anxiety over what we may or may not anticipate; or worse, just do our own thing, thinking that it will all work out in the end. This is not godly thinking or Christian living. Here is the pastoral counsel I had given for over 25 years…
When faced with a decision, as with yesterday’s devotional thought, call upon the Lord Jesus and simply ask Him which direction you should take for His greatest exaltation and the Father’s ultimate glory. “What if there are a couple of viable options and I’m still not clear?” If you’ve already sought the Lord Jesus and desire to exalt Him for the Father’s glory, pick the option you like best. Our sovereign God made you and recreated you when He saved you, so the desires He placed in you will also work together for good (Rom 8:28-29). “What if I like all those options?” Still, pick one. Choosing one will glorify Christ through you in one way, and choosing another will exalt Him in another way. He has promised that He will be with you always (Matt 28:20) and that He will never leave you nor forsake you (Heb 13:8). Finally, if the decision before you is something you know would be displeasing to Jesus, something that violates God’s will in Scripture, that is something you can surely scratch from your list. When you’re in love with someone, you don’t want to do anything that damages that relationship. Remember, it is written,
Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4
If your delight is to exalt Christ for the Father’s glory (Phil 2:9-11), then He will most certainly give you the desires to make it so. In our sojourn upon the planet until Christ comes or takes us home, the Christian can find no greater joy or fulfillment than to live a life that exalts the Lord Jesus Christ—because if your desire is to exalt Jesus for the Father’s glory, you will not be able to delight in anything else.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!