Promised Of God: Traveling With Unmet ExpectationsSýnishorn

Promised Ground: Knowing Your New Land

Does anyone remember the old Family circus cartoons when the artist drew the kid’s treks around the neighborhood? It usually resembled something akin to a large, tangled, bowl of spaghetti. I imagine Abram’s journey to “the land I will show you” would have looked similar. Part of the two-fold promise of God was that Abram would be given the land of Canaan. After leaving the land of Haran, Abram didn’t have a necessarily long journey. In fact, we find him arriving in Canaan (the promised land) only six verses into the chapter. He even pitched his tents! But as his story unfolds look at what happens as we read through this particular part of his life- the journey to, through, around, away from, “there and back again” as Bilbo Baggins wrote… 

As you read through the various journeying of Abram, notice how many times he passes through his promised inheritance.

What does Abram do during each of these encounters with the land itself when he enters it? Why is this significant? Why did he do this?

Genesis 15 finally sees God establishing an official covenant with his servant. Taking a step past the promise, God is now putting His divine signature to seal the deal. Through this transaction, notice that God has some more instructions for Abram. Take a look especially at chapter 13, verse 14. God tells the sojourner to walk the length and breadth of the land. He wants him to look at it first- in all directions, then walk it- in all directions. God wants him to viscerally take it all in, to breathe in its aromas, see its landscapes, taste of its bounty and waters, touch its dirt and grass and rocks. He wants him thoroughly familiar with it.

Yet, as you read about Abram’s new-found property ask yourself what he must have also been noticing. Who else is living in the land at this time? What actual authority did Abram have over it? What obstacles do you see in this situations?

So often we have followed God (or listened to God behind us) faithfully, blindly, to be found at a place that is not necessarily our picture of paradise. All of a sudden our calling, and the destination where God chooses to park us is not at all what we were expecting. Our new land (whether metaphorical or physical)  may be inhospitable, may be already settled, may be barren, may be full of sin, may be unfamiliar, may be suited to someone more “enough” than what we feel like we have to offer. Now, after all the blind faith, we’re led to a whole lotta “this is not what I signed up for.”

I imagine Abram felt this way at times. God led him straight into an already settled, sinful (hello? Sodom and Gomorrah people!?), foreign, drought-filled land, which didn’t need him showing up to add to the settlers. Yet God asked him to symbolically claim it. He wanted him to take possession of it through his senses. He didn’t launch battles or slaughter the inhabitants, he did not burn down tents and claim livestock. Abram simply possessed it through being obedient to God’s instructions. “Lift up your eyes from where you are and look north and south, east and west…. Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you.” God wanted for Abram to perceive His divine hand in the land- yes the bad parts- but the goodness, the sustenance, the provision of it all as well. 

If you do have the blessing of arriving at a destination that is promised of God, be on the lookout for God’s hand in all things… even in the most unlikely of places. This is obedience of perceiving the future gift of God. Await further directions. Take possession of it as He instructs.

REFLECTION:

What are some things that Abram did that you can personally identify with along his journey? How do you think he reacted upon coming into Canaan? How do you think he reacted upon having to leave it… multiple times? 

How would you have reacted in these situation?

Have you been brought to a less-than-ideal destination? What are God’s instructions to you regarding it? Are you supposed to take it by force or by sense, or perhaps something else entirely?