Genesis 12:4
“So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went
with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out
of Haran.”
Abram’s faith is a faith that every Christian should emulate.
We often misunderstand what it took for Abram to obey God. When God told Abram to leave his country, kindred and his father’s house, He was asking him to leave with the knowledge that he would never see them again. To go to a country He had never seen took a great amount of faith. Yet, with all of this in his heart, he still obeyed God and stepped out by faith.
However, the verse above shows a grave mistake that Abram made. God told Abram to leave his country, kindred, and family, but Lot was part of his family. Even though Abram may have felt for Lot because he lost his father, it was God’s command to leave everything and everyone. Abram’s incomplete obedience marred his blessing to this day. Because Lot came with him, two other countries came from Lot that became enemies to the Jews, and they are enemies even to this day. As much as Abram was blessed, his blessings were marred by the act of incomplete obedience.
Many Christians have made the same mistake that Abram made by almost following all of God’s commandments. Yes, the blessing of obedience will be realized, but the heartache of the disobedience will mar the blessings you receive. Many people have carried the heartache of incomplete obedience for many years, and some families have sadly suffered because of one’s incomplete obedience. A couple of thoughts can be learned about incomplete obedience.
First, God always blesses obedience. Doing right always brings God’s blessings. Abram’s obedience not only blessed his life, but the lives of those after him as well. Don’t ever underestimate the blessings of obedience. The degree of God’s blessings on your life is directly correlated to the degree of obedience. If you want more of God’s blessings, you would be wise to obey God completely.
Second, it doesn’t matter how disobedience is justified; it is still wrong. Abram had a good reason to bring Lot, but it was still incomplete obedience. Just because you can justify doing wrong doesn’t make it right. Wrong is wrong no matter how you paint it, and sin is sin no matter how you justify it. If you don’t want to suffer the consequences of sin, don’t disobey God.
Third, incomplete obedience will mar the blessings of obedience. It is sad that we have to talk about Abram and Lot, but it is a mark on Abram’s life that he will never be able to remove. Many Christians have seen God bless their lives for many years, and yet have suffered the consequences of disobedience for the remainder of their lives. Don’t let your reasoning to disobey God be the source of your blessings being marred. Trust God that He knows what is right and best for you. Don’t question God’s commands; just obey them.
Christian, you only have one life to live. If you want to enjoy it to its fullest, you had better learn the value of obeying God. Always remember that God blesses obedience, but He also punishes disobedience. Whatever your excuses are to disobey, remember that the mark it will leave on your blessings is not worth it. Make it your goal to live your life without the marks of disobedience. This is how you can enjoy God’s blessings to their fullest.