Did You Hear From God Before Embarking on That Journey? (Genesis 12)
Please before you make that journey, read this…
“Now the Lord had said unto Abram, get thee out of thy country, and from
thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew
thee”- Genesis 12:1
“And I will make thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy
name great, and thou shalt be a blessing”- Genesis 12:2
“And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee;
and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed”
After Abram heard this from God, he departed from Haran his home country
with his wife Sarai and his brother’s son –Lot and they left with
everything they had in Haran. (Can you see now that it is not a NEW thing
for people to sell everything they have, including their houses and cars
jut to travel abroad, it is not new and it is not bad, as long as it’s a
direction from God, because that was what Abram did as far back as
centuries ago).
On his way to the foreign country, Abram stopped at Canaan (it’s just the
same way that people stop over in a transit country when traveling to some
foreign countries in our present day. But they haven’t reached their
destination yet, that transit country may even be the country that might
your future place of permanent resident, who knows).
While Abram was going to Egypt from his home country Haran, he stopped
over at Canaan and prayed to God there, Canaan didn’t have anything good
thing for him at that time, because they were also going through famine,
but God promised him the land there, but that wasn’t his place of
destination at this time, he was still going to Egypt, where he was going
to make it and become rich and wealthy!
Egypt at this time was one of the best countries to live in, they had
everything, very rich. Just like some countries in the world today where
many people are migrating to for survival, for better life.
But as Abram was approaching Egypt he developed cold feet and became
afraid.
Why did he suddenly become afraid? Yes, this happens even to many of us
in the current world, in spite of the current civilization in the world,
we still become afraid when going to a foreign country. We are afraid of
racism, impartial treatment by the citizens of the country, maybe because
of our race, skin color or because of the way we speak, discrimination and
all other reasons.
Abram was afraid that he might be killed and his wife might be taken from
him and all the things he had with him too.
Everyone develops cold feet at one point or the other because of fear of
the unknown. Many people of course, would not take the step Abram took,
because we are in a civilized world now, but we will find every means not
to be victims of racism, hatred, impartial treatments by other people,
citizens of the country we are going to.
Well, in the case of Abram, he lied that Sarai was his sister so that he
would not be killed because of her (Sarai was a very beautiful woman),
that was ridiculous, right? Yeah!
But some of us these days also do ridiculous things just to travel to
foreign countries, that are better than ours or to get citizenship or
permanent residence of a better country.
Some arrange fake marriages to get citizenship and many unimaginable
things to migrate from their countries.
It is not a strange practice, if Abram can do something this bad as far
back as this time, then it is not a strange practice for people to lie to
migrate to other countries better than theirs.
But that is not the point for this topic. The point is going become
clearer to you now, if it wasn’t before now.
That foreign land you are going to or where you are already, did you hear from God first, before going there? Because it is very important to hear from God before going there so that everything will work out well for you.
And lo! The Egyptians truly like he had envisaged like his wife because
she was very beautiful and recommended her for Pharaoh, the king
(president) of the country they had gone to, for wife.
As a result of this, the people treated Abram well and gave him the
goodies of the country; sheep, oxen, asses, servants, camels, etc. (Money,
cars, house etc.). In other words, Abram became very rich in his new
country than when he was in his home country.
You know why? People may not understand this and may think wrongly that
is was because he gave his wife to Pharaoh.
Nope! He could have given his wife to Pharaoh and still be killed and all
he had still taken from him.
This didn’t happen because God told him to go to that country and told
him he would bless him when he goes there.
So did you hear from God before proceeding to get visa for that better
country? Did God tell you to go there? Or you are just going there because
of the hardship in your country?
Remember many people have left their countries to other countries and got
killed, some were jailed, some died of terrible weather conditions (that
is not your portion, in Jesus name, amen!)
No matter how bad the weather of a place is, or how terrible the people
of the place are, as long as it is God who told you to go there then you
will prosper there, because God will bless you there.
Even when some people try to come against you, they will be dealt with by
God. Because it is God who owns the land not the people, God owns
everywhere and He told you to go there, so when anyone tries to frustrate
you, God will frustrate them and punish them for your sake, because He was
the one who instructed you to go there.
God dealt with Pharaoh and his household for messing around with Abram by taking his wife, which actually wasn’t his fault, Abram had lied.
Eventually, Abram was given his wife back and was bribed with great
wealth to pacify him for messing with him, by taking his wife.
Are you planning to travel abroad? Are you already in a foreign country?
Did you hear from God before proceeding? Then you have nothing to worry
about. No matter how tough it may seem at the beginning, don’t be afraid,
do not fret, as long as it is God who directed you there, you can never be
stranded, He will always make a way.
You will make it in Jesus name, Amen!
Prayer: God Almighty, please direct me today and always. Teach me to
always pray and hear from you before taking any decisions about my present
and future. Please bless me and my family and all my loved ones as I take
that next decision about my future today, in Jesus name, Amen!
CITY PASTOR
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