Blessed Partner
| The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go 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." (Genesis12:1-3) |
History can imprison us. Our past mistakes or shame ("I am unworthy, unclean...") can make us feel unfit for God's call. Yet God sees beyond our failures and invites us into His future.
Abraham's story is one of decisive faith. Leaving home, family, and comfort to follow an unknown call is no small decision. It is a leap into the unseen, trusting that the One who calls will also guide.
Before his call, Abraham was not a spiritual giant. Scripture tells us his family worshipped other gods. He had weaknesses, told half-truths, and sometimes doubted. Like us, Abraham had a history. But God called him anyway. God's call was not based on Abraham's merit but on divine mercy. As Martin Luther noted, God's calling of Abraham, despite his idolatry, shows God's grace, not Abraham's perfection. God doesn't call perfect people - He perfects those He calls.
1. God the Caller
God chooses whom He wills for His mission. He does not consult us, nor is He limited by our past. When God called Abraham, He made a covenant with him - not to remind him of his failures, but to make him a channel of blessing. God's mission has always been outward-looking: "All peoples on earth will be blessed through you." The same God calls us today - flawed, forgiven, and commissioned - to carry His blessing to the world.
2. The Responder
Abraham's response was one of faith. He stepped out without knowing the destination, trusting God's promise. Who in their right mind would pack up everything and walk into the unknown? Yet faith often means trusting God's leading when the future is uncertain. Are you willing, like Abraham, to trust the Caller and take that first step?
3. God's Grace
Abraham's story reminds us that grace precedes obedience. God called an idolater and turned him into the father of faith. Even when Abraham stumbled - trying to "help" God through Hagar - God's grace remained. He forgave, restored, and fulfilled His promises. The God who blessed Abraham does not withdraw His grace when we falter.
4. Faith and Trust
Faith is not about having all the answers but trusting the One who does. Sometimes God asks us to leave our comfort zones and serve in unfamiliar places. His call always carries a promise: "I will bless you... and you will be a blessing."
Conclusion
God's call is gracious and sure. He does not look for perfection but perfects those He calls. Like Abraham, may we trust the Caller, leave the familiar, and step into God's mission: blessed to be a blessing wherever He sends us.
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Zwai Mtyhobile is the minister of St Andrews Pretoria and the General Assembly Ministry Secretary. He's married to Thandi and they have three children. He is passionate about developing our ministers in the UPCSA. He enjoys watching and playing sport.
