Abraham's Obedient, Earthly Sojourn, by Faith ~ Bob Hoekstra

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would afterward receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. (Hebrews 11:8-10)

Abraham provides one of the most profound studies concerning the extensive consequences of walking by faith. One lesson he offers is that trusting God enables us to obediently leave familiar settings to follow the Lord into new, uncertain situations. Beyond this, Abraham's example sheds light on how to face our entire journey on earth. We see this in Abraham's obedient, earthly sojourn, by faith.

God called Abraham to leave his familiar homeland and to follow Him to a new land that the Lord would give him. "Now the LORD had said to Abram: 'Get out of your country, from your kindred and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you'" (Genesis 12:1). Abraham obeyed the Lord by stepping out through faith into a monumental change. "By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would afterward receive as an inheritance." He trusted the Lord to lead him, even though he was given no indication of where this land would be. "And he went out, not knowing where he was going."

When he arrived in the land, his faith again was exercised by having to sojourn there, as if he were an alien in a foreign land. "By faith he sojourned in the land of promise as in a foreign country." Year after year, he moved about in tents with his son and grandson, who were also promised this same land: "dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise."

There certainly are times when the Lord calls us to follow Him into unknown territory. Only trusting our Lord, as Abraham did, will sustain us. Still, whether circumstances are shifting or stable, we are to face all of life's journey as he did. This world is promised to God's children some day. "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth" (Matthew 5:5). Until the Lord makes it so, we sojourn here as visitors (in the world, but not of it), walking with our God and being used by Him. Meanwhile, like Abraham, we are waiting by faith for an everlasting city that man cannot produce. "For he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God."

Lord God of Abraham, for any changes that You want to lead me into, I want to trust You, as Abraham did. Lord, for all of my sojourn here on earth, I look to You to keep me and use me—as I await Your return, Amen.