Gloriously Hidden
Now when Abram was ninety-nine years old, YHWH appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty, walk before Me, and be blameless.” Genesis 17:1
Walk – Oswald Chambers knew the Lord. His insights continue to challenge believers decades after his death. One of his great concerns was the call to humility. As he put it, “None of us would be obscure spiritually if we could help it.”[1] Chambers recognized that we are called to the ordinary. We are assigned the task of manifesting God’s character and actions in the dregs of life. Occasionally God surprises us with a visit, a vision or a vantage point that reveals His artistry. But we were not made to maintain the occasional. We were made to work out our salvation and work in His grace in the common and ordinary, in the in-between.
Thirteen years passed between Abram’s encounters with God. Thirteen years of dealing with Sarai, Hagar, Ishmael, a broken marriage, a dysfunctional family and all the relationship mismanagement issues. Thirteen years of wandering, hoping, trusting – and walking – without a word from YHWH. Would we have been so faithful? Probably not. That’s why God chose Abram, and not us. We would have complained about a lack of direction, about unanswered prayers, about uninspired Scripture reading, about the general, boring routine of life. We would have gone to spiritual retreats, prayer conferences, healing services and revival meetings in order to recapture those moments on the mountain. We would have pined for the heights when God was so real we felt His breath. But most of all, we would think there was something wrong about our relationship with Him during thirteen years of silence.
Abram knew better. Thirteen years of walking. The words that governed his life were perseverance, trust, faithfulness and humility. No man commands God to appear whenever he wishes. But every man is called to live according to the God who sometimes appears. The watchword of Abram’s life needs to be the watchword of your lives: duty.
Torah is not given so that we may ascend the hill of heaven. Torah is given so that we may follow the path of perseverance when the hill of heaven is completely obscured from our vision. Torah is instruction in daily duties. Torah is “one foot in front of the other” living while we wait for His arrival.
Have you entertained silence as the hallmark of your duty to God? Or have you complained that God should once more carry you to lofty vistas? Are you good in the grit or do you languish without luminosity? How many years will you walk while waiting?
Topical Index: walk, duty, Oswald Chambers, Genesis 17:1
[1] Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest, May 1.
NOTE: Thank you each for wishing me a happy birthday yesterday. I really appreciated not getting lost in the Mother’s Day celebration.
It is amazing. I have the Scripture to guide me and I have trouble staying faithful, and keep walking in faith. Abram did not have the Scripture. He only had a word from God and nothing that he could go back to to read again, to remind him of what it was he should do. What a man of faith he was! How much I need to remind myself that I need to keep walking!
Skip, I did not know. Happy belated Birthday!
Indeed brother Skip … the “Moshe Effect” … this desire for spiritual luminosity you speak of is something that most struggle with. Everyone would love to capture Ruach HaKodesh in a bottle …. metaphorically speaking. We all want that magic moment to persist and never depart. Who is not guilty of this desire at some point?
Yet the words of Peter should resonate when we seek this evidence of relationship: 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 1:5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 1:6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience GODliness; 1:7 And to GODliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 1:8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Yeshua Mashiach.
The commentary Skip is right on and under scores a significant problem in the lives of many believers. We fail to understand that it is within our labors and toiling that we are refined. Far too often do we hear of individuals declare that they are “prophets” or “apostles” … or “teachers” … on and on. Far too often we come across those that are desperately attempting to show that their relationship with Yeshua is in good order … as opposed to simply walking in the light and naturally letting the character of our Lord shine forth in the dynamic machinations of our lives.
I recall Skip’s commentary “Buried By Desire” – Wednesday April 29th 2009 … it serves as good additional commentary for this very important lesson we can see in Scripture.
Please don’t get me wrong … most assuredly The Lord chooses that some bring Him glory through marvelous … shining lives. But for most of us …. we are destined to be just plain Israelites …. and this should be plenty good enough! At least if we live life like an Israelite … a citizen of the Kingdom!
“How many years will you walk while waiting?”
Hi Skip,
I like to think that God is always there if I pay attention to him.
Frankly, I rarely think in terms of waiting for God.
Rather, I tend to think negatively, and feel upset, when I don’t get what I think I need.
And that experience, negative emotions, is a fairly common experience for me.
So I use God to help me gid rid of negative emotions.
Taking a walk is another kind of “trigger” for me; a mechanism for remembering God.
And remembering God kicks off a lot of other good thoughts, feelings, and memories.
Other triggers include books, movies, and music.
For example if I hear the song, “Listen to your heart,” I can’t help but think of God’s love.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xryjvBkJXw&feature=related
Good word for us Skip. The Burger King kind of Christianity running rampant today is causing our joy to leak out, confidence to fade and trust to turn to unbelief. The perception of God’s ministry of meeting our felt needs has caused us to doubt the God who loves us and works all things out for our good, when life doesn’t go “our way”. Thank you for reminding us of our need to rest in believing God as Abraham-truly one of many examples for us to take serious note of.
ALSO, Happy belated Birthday!
Good word. Happy belated birthday!