Spiritual Practices: Keyword Listing
Keyword listing is a method of observational Bible study. It doesn’t require any special skills, tools, or training. You can read more about the process of keyword listing here. You can choose any word or short phrase to study using keyword listing. For this passage, we suggest the following keyword(s) to start your study.
Starting Points
Keyword listing is a method of observational Bible study. It doesn’t require any special skills, tools, or training. You can read more about the process of keyword listing here. You can choose any word or short phrase to study using keyword listing. For this passage, we suggest the following keyword(s) to start your study.
Starting Points
- Lord (and related pronouns) - discover the instructions and promises that God gave to Abram
- Abram (and related pronouns) - discover Abram's response to God's promises
Exploring the Text: Following without a destination
When God calls Abram in verse one, he asks Abram to follow him to a land that God will show him later. In verse five we see that the land is Canaan, but we don't see it in verse one. In effect, God is asking Abram to leave and go to a distant country without telling him what the ultimate destination is; he is asking Abram to follow one step at a time, and Abram does. In verse four we see that Abram went. He did not know the ultimate destination, he just knew that God had asked him to go and to trust him on the way.
God does the same thing with us. He asks us to follow one step at a time. We usually want to whole destination mapped out in advance, but God normally doesn't work that way. He wants us to follow him one step at a time. God's way is actually better for us in the long run, even if it is not as comfortable, because it teaches us to trust him step by step and to learn to listen to his voice.
God may never call you to leave your country and go to a distant, unknown country. He will probably call you to follow him somewhere, someway, without telling you the ultimate destination. Will you, like Abram, follow step-by-step? Will you, like Abram, learn to trust God and listen to his voice?
David Dalton
When God calls Abram in verse one, he asks Abram to follow him to a land that God will show him later. In verse five we see that the land is Canaan, but we don't see it in verse one. In effect, God is asking Abram to leave and go to a distant country without telling him what the ultimate destination is; he is asking Abram to follow one step at a time, and Abram does. In verse four we see that Abram went. He did not know the ultimate destination, he just knew that God had asked him to go and to trust him on the way.
God does the same thing with us. He asks us to follow one step at a time. We usually want to whole destination mapped out in advance, but God normally doesn't work that way. He wants us to follow him one step at a time. God's way is actually better for us in the long run, even if it is not as comfortable, because it teaches us to trust him step by step and to learn to listen to his voice.
God may never call you to leave your country and go to a distant, unknown country. He will probably call you to follow him somewhere, someway, without telling you the ultimate destination. Will you, like Abram, follow step-by-step? Will you, like Abram, learn to trust God and listen to his voice?
David Dalton
Creator of the universe, infinite and glorious, you give us laws to save us from our folly;
your purpose emerging as the world is made;
give us courage to follow the truth, courage to go where you lead;
then we shall know blessings beyond our dreams;
then will your will be done.
A New Zealand Prayer Book
your purpose emerging as the world is made;
give us courage to follow the truth, courage to go where you lead;
then we shall know blessings beyond our dreams;
then will your will be done.
A New Zealand Prayer Book
Imaging the Word An Arts and Lectionary Resource, Volume 2