READ: Genesis 12:1-8
The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you” (Genesis 12:1).
The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you” (Genesis 12:1).
The African impala is a deer-like creature that can jump to a height of 3 meters (nearly 10 feet) and cover a distance greater than 11 meters (36 feet) in one bound. Yet the impala can be kept in a zoo enclosure with just a 1-meter-high wall. Why? Because it isn’t tall enough to peer over the barrier, and it won’t jump if it can’t see where its feet will land.
That’s like a lot of us—we often won’t take a leap of faith unless we can see where we’ll land. Abraham can show us another way.
Abraham was 75 when God’s call to leap came. He was old and childless, but he was called to found a new land and start a nation (Genesis 11:30, 12:1-8). God gave no details where Abraham was to walk or how he would have a child, saying only, “Go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation” (Genesis 12:1-2, Genesis 17:5).
Leap from the enclosure, Abraham—leap!
Abraham leaped. He set out in faith (Genesis 12:4-6), soon found his land (Genesis 12:7), later had his son (Genesis 21:1-5), and became the father of a great nation (Hebrews 11:12). God guided Abraham’s feet, but only after he took the leap of faith.
On three occasions I believe God has led me to leap from my comfortable enclosure. In each case I’ve left a secure job without knowing what lay ahead.
Leap from the enclosure, Sheridan—leap!
I will guide your feet, but first you must leap.
And in each case God has led me to a place of greater service and impact. I’m not a perfect role model, though. I’ve fretted about money and the future. But I’ve learned this about walking by faith: We’ll rarely know the outcome before we make the leap, and we’ll rarely know the destination before we begin to walk.
Is God calling you to leap? Then leap! —Sheridan Voysey
Note - Sharing today's email from Our Daily Bread's "Our Daily Journey" ministry. I especially like the author's quote about walking in faith found in the next-to-last paragraph.
