Monday, December 08, 2008

I'll Trust You in Canaan, but Not in Egypt

Have you ever noticed that it's easier to trust God with some things than with others? For example, if you've ever talked with someone who is considering a move, it's quite common to hear them talk about how much they have been praying about the decision and that they are sure God will show them where they need to be. On some level, they trust that God can see the future and that He knows which local would be best for them even though they may not understand the reason.

Now, think about a situation that's a little more out of your control. For me, one of the first things that pops into my mind is singing up front. Oh man, if you want to make me nervous - that's a sure fire way to do it. I get all shaky and my voice starts to give out before I go up front. I can feel the adrenaline pumping and I just know something awful is going to happen. If nothing else I am just positive that I am going to be completely flat and totally miss that high note. "Oh, Lord, keep me calm." I pray. Keep me calm . . . that's it? I don't ask God to provide and give me a strong voice? I don't trust that at the end I will have completed the song in such a way that brings glory and honor to Him? When I'm done, I exit the stage accepting any compliments as an obligated expression of encouragement. Where is the trust?

In Genesis 12 Abram falls into this same trap that I often find myself in. He trusted God's covenant promise that his descendants would have the land of Canaan. He trusted so much that he immediately built an alter thanking God for the blessings that he beleivedwould come (v. 7). Yet, when it was time for Abram to go to Egypt he could not trust that God would protect him.

It seems that Abram trusted God in the things he could not see, the things he could do little about. There was no way Abram could march in to Canaan and conquer it. And to be quite honest, I don't know that it would have been the end of the world in the mind of Abram if he never possessed Canaan. It was easy for Abram to step back and take God at His word.

However, when it came to Sarai in Egypt, I can't help but wonder if Abram even thought to seek protection from the Lord. He didn't need to. He had his own tools and methods for dealing with this issue. He could take care of it on his own. Yet mans ways are not the same as the ways of the Lord.

I pray that God will help me to learn from Abram's mistakes. May I learn to turn to God first rather than trusting my own methods as far as they will reach. May I learn to ALWAYS have faith even when things don't seem to be going as I think they should, even when I'm not in control - especially then.

What about you? Do you need to trust God more?