Listen and Obey

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

LISTEN AND OBEY

Gen 26:1-6

26:1 Now there was a famine in the land — besides the earlier famine of Abraham's time — and Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines in Gerar. 2 The LORD appeared to Isaac and said, "Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land where I tell you to live. 3 Stay in this land for a while, and I will be with you and will bless you. For to you and your descendants I will give all these lands and will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham. 4 I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, 5 because Abraham obeyed me and kept my requirements, my commands, my decrees and my laws." 6 So Isaac stayed in Gerar.

NIV

Although we could talk about all the nations being blessed by his seed, which ultimately means Jesus, who would come through his line. His one son, Judah, born from Leah would come to David, Solomon, and Jesus. We could also consider that God confirmed his oath or covenant with his father and now it was with him, that is not our story today. When God appeared to Isaac, however that happened, the first and foremost words from the LORD were to give directions concerning the path Isaac should take. “Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land where I will tell you to live”. This could not be any plainer. God ordered the footsteps of Isaac. Yes. Eventually, he and his whole family would end up in Egypt and his descendants would become slaves for four hundred years, until the time of Moses. But for now, God was clear where Isaac was not to go and where he was to live. This should show us how God works in our lives if we are listening for his voice, or perhaps expecting his appearance, even if in a vision or a dream. Then again, we have the Spirit dwelling within us so that we might know the path we are to walk in this life, including where we are not to go, where we are not to live, and where we are not to worship. He also tells us where we live, what city, what home, and where we are to work, worship, and play. Still, we must be willing to accept His Lordship in our lives, his complete Lordship, over every aspect of our lives. We can observe those who claim Christianity, but make all the choices in life based on their desires, but simply add Jesus for their spiritual or maybe even a physical need. However, God orders all our footsteps, every last one of them if we will only listen and obey. Isaac did not go where God told him not to, and he stayed where God told him to. This has to be our lives, to not go where God does not want us to go, and to stay where God wants us to stay, as well as go when and where God tells us to go. We simply have to listen and obey.