Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father’s house, to the land which I will show you; and I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and so you shall be a blessing; and I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”

                                                                                                                                   Genesis 12:1-3 

Read: Genesis 12

If there was ever a great example of what it means to move out in faith, it is the life of Abraham. God told him to go “to a land which I will show you.” That means that Abraham was not given the directions on which way to go. God would reveal that in time but for now, Abraham was left to either step out in faith, believing God, or shrink back in a state of unbelief. Abraham chose faith.

Paul tells us that as God spoke to Abraham that day, He was really preaching the gospel to him. Consider the following:

Even so Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “All the nations will be blessed in you.” So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer. 

                                                                                                                 Galatians 3:6-9 

Do you see the main thread running throughout this passage? “Abraham believed God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.” “It is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham.” “God would justify the Gentiles by faith.” “So those who are of faith are blessed.” And Abraham is described as “the believer.”

It’s difficult to miss the idea that approval from God (the gospel) is found by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. With this well positioned faith comes righteousness, sonship, and blessing. For Abraham it meant leaving the comfort and familiarity of his homeland and moving to a new place that God would show him.

For us, it might mean taking a risk, stepping out on a limb, and moving in a direction that we believe God is telling us to take. When we do this, we do so on faith. We might not have all of the answers as to how everything will work out but one thing we do believe, we are doing so with the intent of serving God and fulfilling His plan for our lives.

I am reminded of the parable that Jesus told about three individuals who were each given a measure of talent. Two of the men used their gifts in order to further the kingdom of God but one did not. Listen to the response each man received:

Now after a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’                                               

                                                                                                            Matthew 25:19-21 

Also the one who had received the two talents came up and said, ‘Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’

                                                                                                               Matthew 25:22-23 

And the one also who had received the one talent came up and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed. And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’

                                                                                                             Matthew 25:24-25 

But his master answered and said to him, ‘You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed. Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest. Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.’ 

                                                                                                            Matthew 25:26-28 

We all have a decision to make when it comes to how we are going to spend our time. Sadly, I believe many Christians miss the amazing things that God has for them because they simply will not move out in faith. Like the last servant in the parable, they are too afraid to move because of the unknown. For some, it might even be fear of making a mistake or fear that God would not approve of what they are doing.

When we move out in faith, we will make mistakes. There will be people who will not be as enthusiastic about our venture as we will be. Some might even work against us in an attempt to derail us from completing our tasks. But if we move out in a sincere effort to follow Christ and fulfill our purpose, God will guide our paths and will bring to pass what we have committed to Him (Proverbs 3:5-6, Psalm 37:3-7). And when we go the wrong way, God will gently guide us back to the proper course (Matthew 11:28-30).

Are you fulfilling your purpose in Christ? Move out in faith today!

So Abram went forth as the Lord had spoken to him; and Lot went with him. Now Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.

                                                                                                                        Genesis 12:4