Set Apart

“Now the LORD had said to Abram: ‘Get out of your country…to a land I will show you. I will make you a great nation: I will bless you. And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing.’” Ge 12:1-2

By the time Abram was called and set apart by God he was already 70 years old. He had lived a full life and had worked hard. I am sure that at 70 we would have a heart bent towards retirement…travel…settling down. But instead of Abram settling down in his life, God told him to be set apart and leave most things that were familiar to him. At first glance this command seems less of a big deal since he had very little to tie him down. His wife Sarai would accompany him so maybe they thought this would be exciting. But think about the words God spoke. He told him to take his wife and leave without telling him where to go. God was setting Abram apart which meant walking away from his old life without being given any details of what his new life would look like. This was a beautiful cause and effect story written by the love of God. Abram’s reward for his obedience would be found in the undisclosed land God would eventually reveal to Him. His reward from a generous God was greatness and respect among the nations…God bestowing great blessings upon him…his name exalted…his life blessing others.

God still sets His children apart no matter what age, and His callings are still filled with mysterious details that are only revealed when we take the first step. All of God’s callings are callings into fellowship and intimacy first and foremost. Every detail of our lives flows from the fellowship we develop with God. From that fellowship we learn to trust Him for the place to which He is calling us. I love the way Kelly Minter describes being set apart in her Bible study video, Finding God Faithful. ‘When God calls us to be set apart from the world it is for the world.' We are blessed by our fellowship with God and are meant to bless others through our relationship with God. We will not have to strive or toil to accomplish the task that God ordains. God shoulders the responsibility of the task He has laid before us. As He told Abram and He tells us…HE will show us where to go…HE will make us great in His kingdom…HE will bless us…and through us HE will bless others. Our part is willingness…our part is availability…our part is devoted obedience. Being set apart is always initiated by God but carried out by our obedience and through this transaction everyone is blessed.