Theme: Living by Faith and Abraham
“By faith, Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going.” (Hebrews 11:8)
Thought:
When I was 6 years old, my brother and I shared a bedroom on the second floor of a tank house that my dad purchased and built the rest of our house attached to it. In the Central Valley of California, you can still see tank houses dotting the countryside. Early on, many farmers built three-story square houses (approximately 12 to 15 feet wide). They would live on the first two floors, and they had a large water tank on the third floor, with a windmill to pump water into it and let gravity carry it to the house and garden.
One morning in my 6th year of life, I woke up and planned to head down the staircase as usual to see my parents (drinking coffee, of course) and get some breakfast. When I got out of bed, my legs buckled, and I fell to the floor, unable to walk. So, I crawled down the stairs and into our kitchen to get help from my parents.
After two weeks in a Modesto, California, hospital, the doctors determined I had Rheumatic Fever, which is treated with penicillin. I was given the choice, as a little guy, to either have a shot a week or a pill a day. I had seen those needles, and the choice was easy.
I couldn’t walk for 6 months and wasn’t allowed outside for a whole year. God graciously provided the doctors with the wisdom to treat me as well as a loving family who helped in my recovery.
Being part of a large extended family, we would always gather for Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, and pretty much any other holiday we could use as an excuse to meet, eat, and play together. There were usually 40 to 50 of us at these get-togethers with lots of cousins to play with.
During the first Christmas after I could walk again, we all gathered at one of my aunts’ and uncles’, and when it came time for everyone to open a present, I was asked to go to the Christmas tree and open an extra special present. I went forward, a bit nervous, to open up a large box, and inside was Tobor the Robot. My invitation to go receive this present was not hard to follow through on. I gladly accepted and played with Tobor for many years.
I use this example because I wanted to think of a time when I was invited to go towards something especially picked out for me, to encourage me, and to enjoy. Hebrews 11:8 caught my attention because the first thing said about Abraham in a chapter about living one’s faith was that he went forward to receive a gift, an inheritance designed and given to him by God. It was all about God being a giver, and the positive thing said about Abraham was that he obeyed and received what God had for him.
When I think about Abraham and his life of faith, I remember many of the Old Testament stories from Sunday School and church. The covenant God made with Abraham was central in his life. Looking at Abraham in Hebrews 11:8, I read that “when he was called, (he) obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance.” Abraham lived by faith by walking toward God to receive all that God promised him. Abraham was not a perfect man, and he didn’t earn this inheritance. God gave it to him, and Abraham showed his faith by moving toward what God promised. In Romans 4:16 where Paul talks about Abraham’s faith we read, “For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all.”
I’ve thought about what God promises us, and it’s often different from what we think or want.
God doesn’t promise a trouble-free life, but He promises the Holy Spirit as our comforter to strengthen us. (2 Cor. 1:3-5)
God doesn’t promise great wealth, but He does promise to meet all our needs. (Matt. 6:25-34)
God doesn’t promise good health, but He promises strength to endure (Isaiah 40:31) and to never leave us alone. (Romans 8:31-36)
God doesn’t promise perfect circumstances in our lives, but He does promise to work those circumstances out for our good and His glory. (Romans 8:28)
God doesn’t promise we will be perfect in this life, but He promises forgiveness and cleansing (I John 1:9) and reminds us throughout His love letter, the Bible, of His grace and mercy. He promises that His lovingkindness and compassion will never fail. (Lamentations 3:22,23)
God does not tell us that we will not have heartache and trouble, but He does promise that He understands and sympathizes with our weaknesses, and He urges us to draw near to Him. (Hebrews 4:15)
God does not ensure us the wealth of the world, but He does promise to give us contentment. (Phil. 4:11) He also promises to give us enough to not only meet our needs but also to be generous in giving to others. (2 Corinthians 9:8)
God does not promise us eternal life based on our behavior and works, but He does promise us eternal life and a personal relationship with Him through His Son, who took our place on the cross. (Isaiah 53:6 and John 3:16)
God does not promise us candy and Easter eggs to hunt, but he promises the forgiveness of our sins and the hope of eternal life, as proven by the resurrection of Christ. We have an inheritance with Abraham to move toward by God’s grace, and we can only imagine what it will mean to enjoy God’s presence forever.
Reflection:
As you reflect on Abraham obeying God by moving toward what God had for Him, are you responding to what God has for you? Have you responded to His promise to give you eternal life in John 1:12? “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.” Have you responded to His promise in James 4:8, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
Prayer:
Father, help me draw near to You. Help me make time to read Your word this week and see the many promises You’ve made out of Your great love.
Stan Johnson 7/8/2026
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