Life Lessons From Biblical Characters | Abraham

Read Genesis 18: 16-21

As Abraham's guests prepare to leave, he walks with them "to send them on the way". 

And the Lord said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him." (v. 17-19) 

When we have a real, living and breathing relationship with the Lord, He alerts us to events that can affect us and our loved ones.  How does he alert us today?

Sometimes He wakes us up in the middle of the night-  I have gotten into the habit of getting up and having my devotions and prayer time in the middle of the night when I wake up and can't fall back to sleep.  I don't know why I am awake, so I just assume that God wants me to pray for someone or something.  In the middle of the night, we are able to have a wonderful time of prayer because there is no one to interrupt us, phone calls just do not happen, and we cannot use that time to do something else.  I have found for myself, that when I get up and have my devotions and prayer time, I have a better chance of falling asleep than if I just lay in bed and try to think myself back to sleep.

Sometimes someone's name comes to mind out of the clear blue-  Have you ever suddenly thought of someone you have had little or no contact with for a really long time or someone you are distantly acquainted with but not close to? Take that as an opportunity to pray for that person.  You never know if God is just seeing how sensitive you are to His calling. 

I once heard the story of a missionary in Africa who was on his way back to the village he lived in after going to a larger city for supplies.  He did not know that he was being followed by some men who wanted to hurt him and take what he had.  The next morning as he was breaking down his camp to continue on his way back to his home, the men approached him, not to harm him but to ask him a question.  They asked, "Who were the strong men that are traveling with you?" The missionary seemed surprised. He told them that he was alone.  "No," they answered.  Last night we came here to harm you, but the strong men surrounded your tent. There were (so many) of them. We were afraid of them and left."  The men left and the missionary return to his village.  When his furlough time came, the missionary related this account at one of his supporting churches.  A gentleman stood up and said, "I didn't know why, but the Lord put your name on my heart that day to pray for.  So I did." One by one, men in the congregation stood up and said that they had had the same experiece.  The missionary counted the men standing and found that number of prayer warriors in this church was the same number of strong men that had surrounded his tent that night. 

Sometimes it can be a feeling- Sometimes God will alert us to something by giving us a "funny feeling".  Many people call it women's intuition, but for those of us with a personal relationship with the Lord, it is the Holy Spirit alerting our spirit that something is not right.  I was a commuting student when I was in college.  One morning I was going to leave for school a bit early to get some extra practice time.  My mom told me that she didn't know why, but she didn't feel like I should leave yet.  I listened to her, sat at our piano and practiced at home.  When the time came for me to leave, my mom was okay with it and I left.  As I was driving, I came upon an accident not too long before.  I don't know if I was kept safe from being involved in the accident because my mom didn't feel right about my leaving when I origianlly planned to or not... but who knows?

Keep an open line between you and the Lord.  Do not let the connection go bad.  Not only does that line allow you to have access to Him, but it gives Him access to you as well.