Call On The Name Of The Lord

-January 5, 2025-

Good morning brothers and sisters, happy Lord’s Day,

“And he [Abram] moved from there to the mountain east of Bethel, and he pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; there he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord.”

(Genesis 12:8).

Abram had just obeyed the Lord and followed Him fully. He lived in a tent with his wife, and Lot, his nephew was with them. He did two significant things: he built an altar to the Lord and called upon the name of the Lord.

He was a man of faith. Building an altar was indicative of his heart of devotion and worship. Like Abram, we need to spend time with the Lord, listen to His Word, and follow Him on the journey. He was right in the middle between Bethel and Ai; right in the center of God’s will. We later read in Genesis 13 that he built the altar in Bethel.

Just after, he did slip up and went outside the Lord’s will by going down to Egypt, which is a symbol of the world. Because there was a famine in Canaan, he went there instead of trusting the Lord to provide for him and his family. He should have stayed in Bethel, meaning “the house of God.” Later, Jacob, his grandson also had to return to Bethel where he should stayed.

In life we shouldn’t move or act without clear guidance from the Lord. He built an altar but left it behind. He called on the name of the Lord.

Calling on the Lord is important, obeying His voice and doing His will is even more important. When we call, God will answer and direct our steps. After Abram’s bad experience in Egypt and getting rebuked by Pharaoh for saying Sarai was his sister, and causing major problems for Pharaoh and his people, he returned to Bethel where he had been at the beginning, the place he had built the altar.

The devil often attacks and distracts us, often after we have a victory in our lives. He appeals to our pride. Let us stay close to the Lord, seeking His face and His will. There are many detours we must watch out for. One mistake can have great repercussions in our lives.

Have a blessed Lord’s Day worshiping the Lord and learning lessons from the Word of God. Stay safe and healthy.

Staying where God wants us to be, and doing what He wants us to do, will keep us in His will, so that to Him we can be true.

Dean