"So Abram departed as the LORD had instructed, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran."

Genesis 12:

In Genesis 12:1, the Lord told Abram to leave everything that was familiar in his life and travel to an unknown land. Along with this command came a promise of great blessing. Verse 4 tells us that Abram did as God had instructed him. It was a case of simple obedience; simple, not because it was easy, but because the action steps were clear.

Sometimes it's hard to discern God's will, to figure out exactly what he wants us to do in a given situation. But at other times his commands are quite simple. How do you deal with a difficult colleague? With Christ-like love. What do you do when somebody offends you? Go to that person directly and talk about it. Such acts of simple obedience may be difficult to do, but they're clear biblical commandments.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: How can you obey the Lord today? Are there specific actions God wants you to do in simple obedience to him?

PRAYER:  Dear Lord, thank you for Abram's example of simple obedience. How challenging it must have been for him to leave everything in order to follow your command. Yet he did it.

Help me, Lord, to be like Abram. Where your word to me is clear, may I do it. Give me faith to obey you even when it's scary, even when conventional wisdom says otherwise. Even this day, may I act in obedience to you, so that you might be glorified in my life. Amen.