The Almighty vs. the Egg Roll

"The LORD had said to Abram, 'Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you'.... So Abram left, as the LORD had told him"

(Genesis 12:1, 4a)

Sometimes it would be nice if the Bible gave us some more of the story. Abram lived among pagans who served other gods. He most likely served those same gods. Yet when the one true God decides to speak to him, it looks like he obeys without a word. How weird would that be for him? He didn't have

past examples to look at on how to respond when the God of all Creation summons you. He didn't even serve that God. His family didn't serve that God. He hadn't ever interacted with a holy being before because he served mute idols. There was no handbook for this .... because he was in the process of living out the handbook for us! So where did Abram get the faith to step out there and leave everything behind!? All we see is that God said Get up and go! and Abram got up and went. He didn't have it all figured out, he just figured out that he should respond somehow.

What example does this set for me? How many times have I lacked the initiative to respond to God's summons because of my need for more proof that it was Him that spoke and not just that whacked out egg roll I had for dinner? Maybe I could argue with a heavy dose of Christianese that "my spiritual ears are not in tune enough with his voice." But doesn't that argument fall flat on its face when it encounters Abram the Pagan's example here? The dude had no precedent set for him! He had no conceivable way of gathering "more confirmation." He had never heard from God before. Yet he responded with obedience!

I think I have even less excuse than Abram, because I live on this side of the Cross. Christ died to open up relationship with God for me. Then He sent His Holy Spirit to dwell in me, to guide me, to comfort me, to speak to me. There is nothing that separates me from God and His voice except that which I choose to place between us.

I do believe there are times to hold back on action for wisdom's sake (a Biblical truth for sure). But I think I use that and logic too often as excuses to cover up my fear to act.

So there's the challenge... if God summons, do I respond quickly and willingly? Or do I wait until I have everything figured out (which will never happen)?