Preparing the Way for God to Move
Genesis 11:31-12:8
‘Prepare the way for the Lord…Then all people will see God’s salvation.’ (Luke 3:4, 6). As the Church, we are called to be active participants in God's work, preparing the way for His salvation to touch the lives of others. To do this, God has anointed us to be ‘Priests,’ and He has given us everything we need to prepare the way for His salvation to touch the lives of others. This week, we will discuss what it looks like to prepare the way for God to move and work through you.
1. Read Genesis 12:1-3. This is how God leads us. God’s call of Abraham began with an imperative—a clear command. God told him to leave his country for a land that He would show him . . . sometime later. Can you share a time in your life when God called you to go yet He didn’t give you all the details? What was that like?
2. Evaluate Your Harran: Reflect on your life. Are there areas where you’ve settled for less than what God has promised?
3. The author of the Book of Hebrews wrote about Abraham’s experience when he wrote: “It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going” (Hebrews 11:8). Many times when we don’t see where to go, we settle right where we are. What was it about Abraham that led him to move on?
4. Read Genesis 12:4. Abraham went, even though he didn’t have all the details. He went on the promise. What will allow you to go forward by faith even when you don’t have all the details?
5. Read Genesis 12:1-3 again. God will not give him step-by-step directions. God might not give details, but he gives promises that never fail. What promises did God Give Abraham? What role do we play today in the promises God made Abraham?
6. Read Genesis 12:6-8. "Pitching our tent" is more than just a metaphor; it's a call to action. It signifies a readiness to follow God’s lead, meaning that God has called us to be the place where others can encounter the presence of God. Talk amongst yourselves about what God’s purpose is for your life.
7. In verse 8, Abraham builds an altar to the Lord. This act is not just a footnote in biblical history; it's a profound lesson in the power of surrender and sacrifice in our walk with God. It's about establishing a place in our hearts and lives where we meet with God, not just in the high moments but also in the depths of our struggles. It's here, at this altar, that we learn the true meaning of surrender and the transformative power of sacrifice. Jesus modeled this sacrifice when he said: "Not my will, but Yours be done" (Luke 22:42).
Take some time to pray and surrender all you are and all you have to Him. As a child of the King, he doesn’t just want a piece of your life; he wants it all. Pray as Jesus did and say; “not my will, but yours be done.”