RAW SpiritualitySample

Day 3: Walking

“Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold. From the Negev he went from place to place until he came to Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had been earlier and where he had first built an altar.
There Abram called on the name of the Lord.” – Genesis 13:2-4 (NIV)

Are you a fan of travel television and adventure shows?

Maybe you enjoy Bear Grylls’ Man vs. Wild, seeing how he survives the great outdoor elements. Or you might like the Amazing Race where contestants travel across borders to complete challenges, finding clues and discovering new places and experiences. Some of us get drawn into the outwitting, outplaying and outlasting, seen in both the physical and social dynamics of Survivor.

Whatever television adventure you prefer, the game of life for those who walk with God will be far wilder and outlast all the screentime kicks in your weekly viewing schedule. Adventure awaits when we walk with and trust in God completely.

When we first met Abram in Genesis 12, he was called into a new adventure. At the age of seventy-five he takes his wife and his nephew, and they pack the caravan to Canaan. When most of his friends were talking retirement and twilight years, God was inviting Abram into a friendship which would include quite some travel and a lot of adventure. And even later in his life, Abram would be known as Abraham, the friend of God.

God longs for friendship with mankind to this day. He longs for daily friendships with all of us. As a father who hopes to eventually also become his son’s buddy as he matures to manhood, so God our Father hopes to befriend us as we become spiritually mature.

God might or might not be calling you to a strange country. He might or might not be calling you into a new chapter of life. The Almighty might be calling you into something too unknown and uncertain for your liking, or maybe not.

But God is definitely calling you into friendship on this day. A friendship of adventure that will very likely surprise you over each mountain top and through every valley depth. He is calling all of us into something different – possibly something quite different than we originally anticipated.

Maybe you originally set out to become the founder of a multi-franchise business, and God’s journey took you to manage a Non-profit instead.

Maybe you wanted to become an entertainer in the film or music industry, and now you are a teacher.

Maybe you also wanted to retire soon, but God is calling you to start with mission work, or it happened that you started a new family.

Whatever the case may be, you will find your path in life by daily walking with God. And this life path is marked step-by-step, not by one giant leap. Yet, it often takes one giant leap to get started, and then first steps every day to keep going.

We read that Abraham built an altar, and pitched his tent, wherever God led him. Altars are permanent, tents are temporary. Such should be our lives as well; called to set up a permanent walk with God, but realize that wherever He has us pitch up, might only be temporary. So, as your life unfolds walking with God, be sure to build His altars, and not only to pitch your tents.

Discover Deeper:

» What is the difference between building altars and pitching tents in your life? How can you regularly build altars to God, and not only to pitch your own tents?

» What new or challenging adventure might God be calling you into this season?

» What does walking with God daily look like practically in your life?