https://odb.org/2026/10/30/get-going-with-god
Genesis 12:1–8 (NIV): The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran. He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Harran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there. Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him. From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord.
Setting off in the rain and fog, I felt utterly miserable. It seemed pointless to keep going—what could we see? Many hours later, however, the skies cleared up, revealing breathtaking vistas of towering peaks in the distance—views that we would have missed had we stayed back.
In Genesis 12:1, God told Abram to head into Canaan: “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.” At that moment, there seemed little to look forward to; all Abram could see was a long, arduous journey through a foreign and inhospitable land where hardship and enemies awaited. The only assurance he had was God’s presence and promise of becoming “a great nation” (v. 2). Yet “Abram went, as the Lord had told him” (v. 4). (Leslie Koh, Our Daily Bread, 30th October 2026)
Abraham is held up as a model of faith for good reason (see Hebrews 11:8-10). When he received his calling from God (Genesis 12:1), the Scriptures hadn’t begun to be written. God told him to leave his “country . . . people and . . . father’s household” (v. 1). As a nomadic herdsman living thousands of years ago, he had no way to research where he was going, and opportunities to communicate with those he left behind would’ve been extremely limited. Yet his commitment and his faith were resolute. Three times the New Testament tells us that Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness” (Romans 4:3; Galatians 3:6; James 2:23; see Genesis 15:6). Today, as we step into the unknown, we can remember that God is faithful and He’ll be with us.(Tim Gustafson, Insight, Our Daily Bread, 30th October 2026)
Father Abraham (we call him father because he was the founding father of our faith), is the perfect example of what it means to follow God, even in present modern-day times. When God called him out of the Url of the Caldeans (somewhere in Iraq of today), he had no real idea where he was going. But he nevertheless went. Not alone but with his family and nephew, Lot.
It was not a weekend trip or even an adventure travel of a few months. He completely uprooted himself and moved west, bringing along all his possessions which were mainly livestock and servants. It was a move of complete faith as it is a logistical feat to bring so many people and animals across the plains with the most important thing being the need to continually search for water sources as they travelled. From living in bricks and mortar, Abraham and his family led a nomafic life living in tents until they reach Canaan.
The amazing thing about following Christ is that the example shown by Abraham as the first mover of our faith is still relevant and applicable today! Over the centuries since the time of Jesus, many have responded to Christ’s calling without really knowing what lies ahead. Stories of missionaries from the West traveling to Africa, Asia and Latin America preach the gospel and serve God. We know in South East Asia how the Jesuit priests and other missionaries established schools and hospitals. Many of us or our parents had studied in these mission schools in Malaysia.
If God calls you for something – just respond amd follow the lead and prompting of the Holy Spirit. Step out in faith like Abraham. Make preparations, yes but don’t worry too much what the future holds. The Lord will lead, guide and equip us along the way. The only question really is whether we want to chase our own dreams and ambitions or let Christ align our dreams with His plans and purposes for our lives?
Have a good weekend everyone! Recharge and spend time worshipping God corporately on site with our congregational local church family.
