That Life Is a Journey Is a Gift From God

“Now the Lord said to Abram, ’Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.’” Genesis 12:1-2

One of the great stories in the Bible is the account of Abraham. God told him to leave his home and his father’s house, for a destination that God would show him. His doing so began an adventure with God that would lead to the formation of the nation of Israel and ultimately the coming of Christ.

The stories in the Bible foreshadow our stories. Just as with Abraham, God also calls us to a journey of life and faith. In most journeys, you do not know exactly what will happen. You can anticipate some things but not everything. This is certainly true of the journey of life. It is full of wonderful things but also unexpected twists and turns.

That life is a journey is a gift from God. It would be terribly boring if we always knew what to expect. That there are surprises along the way keeps things exciting. Sometimes the journey gets a little too exciting. The challenges, struggles, and difficulties may seem more than we can handle. But it is through these things that our character is formed. It is through life’s difficulties that we learn to trust in God’s faithful care.

Abraham’s life had many joys and successes. He journeyed to an unknown land, and while there, God promised to give the land to his descendants. In the land he became quite wealthy. At one point, he achieved an almost miraculous military success by defeating the five kings who had overrun the towns of Sodom and Gomorrah. He was able to rescue his nephew Lot and was blessed by the priest Melchizedek. We should also remember that God gives us successes in life. If we have, or have had, a good job, good family, good friends, and good health, we have been blessed by God. Whatever successes we have enjoyed are gifts from our heavenly Father and signs of his blessing. With God’s help and through effort, we can expect that the coming year will include some successes. We should work with diligence to make them happen.

Whatever challenges this year holds, we should remember that Abraham’s life experienced many also. The great challenge for Abraham and Sarah was their lack of an heir. They would wait for about 25 years for God to fulfill this promise. During that time, they would go through many ups and downs. In the end, God showed his great faithfulness.

The coming of a new year allows us to measure and reflect on our lives. It is good to do so. My father would say to me on occasion, “Son, if there is anything you want to do in your life, you should go ahead and do it.” This is good advice. What is there you would like to do in life? If you can do it in 2023, it is a good thing. We should especially remember that God is with us, just as he was with Abraham. Let us also walk with God in faith as Abraham did.