Trials of faith and family Genesis 12

Blessing. What is it? Where do you get it from? How can you hold onto it?

After 11 chapters of Genesis, there is no blessing. From the wonder of creation life on earth has fallen and fallen and fallen. With the people scattered from Babel, were can blessing be found and kept?

God enters the scene and is ready to introduce blessing once again. But God also introduces us to a stranger - Abram and it is to and through him that God promises blessing. It is a great promise to an insignificant man...

Genesis 12:1-3 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."

So what do you do with a promise like that? You believe it and you put your faith in action...

Genesis 12:4 So Abram left, as the LORD had told him.

God says leave and Abram goes. That's faith in action. That's a willingness to receive God's blessings and to trust that only in God's promises real blessing can be found and kept.

In the weeks ahead we'll see Abram's faith grow and fail at times. But we'll see a man who's trust remains in God's promises and in his blessings.