“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” Matthew 28:18-19

“Do you really mean me? Don’t you mean her instead?” Regardless of your age, skills or life experiences, there are likely times when you have been asked to do something you feel underqualified or ill-prepared for. Evangelism, or speaking to others about the gospel, is often one such example. Whilst some of us will find excuses why we cannot do it or offer as many alternative solutions as possible, others of us will spend years planning until everything is perfectly in place ultimately remaining inactive. Throughout the Bible, there are many great examples which can give us courage to step out and act in these situations: Abraham is one of them.

Abraham was an unlikely choice for God to use to fulfil his plan; he was from a tribe that would ultimately rule Babylon and worshiped other gods. Yet despite no qualifications, God chose him, promising that through Abraham would come a great nation with their own land and many blessings. These promises must have seemed impossible to Abraham and his wife Sarah for not only were they from the wrong background, but they were both old and Sarah was barren; in fact, the Bible even says they laughed.

“Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?”” Genesis 17:17

However, when God commanded them to leave everything behind, they trusted God and went. They may not have known how they would gain a land already inhabited, yet they believed God had a plan.

“So Abram went, as the LORD had told him” Genesis 12:4a

Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness. Genesis 15:6

We may not fully understand why God is calling us down a certain path or the exact route he wants us to take but just as Abraham trusted, we can have confidence that God is sovereign.

Doing God’s work is not easy and as we seek to make his name known we will face many challenges. For Abraham, these came in the form of famine. Just as we are tempted to give up, Abraham waivered leaving the promised land in search of an easier time. Yet despite this, God continued to use Abraham for his work. Throughout the Bible, God promises to protect his people and, in these times, rather than turn away, in remembering God’s goodness we can find the strength to persevere.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11