Abraham, our spiritual father, was a very rich man. But not in the sense that we commonly and easily view being rich.
In his character and response to God, Abrahham was very rich.
As you read the Biblical account
of his life you are struck with how few words uttered from his mouth. A great humility and obedience rises from his life and
character. He was so "right" with God. Whatever God said do, Abraham just did. When told to leave Ur, his home city,
he just did it. When told to sacrifice his only son, he just did it. No striving, complaining or manipulating. What a submissive
heart. I for one am proud to have a spiritual father like that.
Lord, please let as much of that
life rub off on me as possible.
Sure he made mistakes, but that was just part of the process of
learning and growing in obedience. He was so quick to repent. You get the strong sense that his life was lived more before
God than before men. Not many words. Just faith. We speak so many idle words (for which we will come into judgment) but we
find our father speaking only a few.
One of his longest dialogs recorded in scripture was the conversation
between himself and God when interceding for the deliverance of Sodom, a wicked city. Just think if most of our words were
for the purpose of others. How strong would the body of Christ be? He quietly and unselfishly did the Lord's bidding.
Also
we see the world just didn't have a hold on Abraham. When the Lord had prospered he and his nephew Lot materially to the point
that to avoid strife they felt it best to part ways, Abraham offered Lot the first choice and best portion. When Lot dwelled
in the comfort and comopolitan atmosphere of the city of Sodom, Abraham lived in a tent on the plains. When offered a great
reward for rescuing Lot from his kidnappers, Abraham refused it.
Abraham's testimony on the earth
reflected how God by his grace called him, taught him, molded him and blessed him. As a result, what he did he did for Jesus'
sake, and he believed that heaven would take care of him. Simply put, he was not of this world. He saw the promise of the
Kingdom of God from afar. He looked for a city that lasted forever whose builder and maker was God. He rested his hopes on
things eternal.
Where are the sons of Abraham?
