There are Actions Required on Our End

I am continuing my study of the word “will” and am allowing God to lead me to what it is He would have me learn. This morning He has placed on my heart that I have actions to demonstrate my alignment and obedience with Him.

In Genesis, God made a covenant with Abraham to make him the “father of a multitude of nations”. God promised to make Abraham great and that great would extend into his immediate family and beyond.

“⁴’Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. ⁵No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. ⁶I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you.’” – Genesis 17:4-6 (ESV)

All of this was provided by God to the man who He was pleased with. God took big action in the covenant with Abraham as we would expect Him to do. But, what about the other side of the covenant. After all, a covenant is an agreement between two or more.

Covenant: “1: a usually formal, solemn, and binding agreement 2a: a written agreement or promise usually under seal between two or more parties especially for the performance of some action” – Merriam-Webster Online

So for the covenant to be active, there is action needed from both sides, and God had laid out His part. There is the obvious action from Abraham to seek and follow the LORD always, but there was also action to demonstrate understanding and obedience.

“¹⁰This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. ¹¹You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you. ¹²He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised. Every male throughout your generations, whether born in your house or bought with your money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring,” — Genesis 17:10-12 (ESV)

And there is the action, circumcision. And not just for the future generations, but of Abraham and all in his house at the time. The LORD required bold action from Abraham to demonstrate he was all in with his side of the covenant with the LORD.

We have actions we are required to take in our relationship with the LORD. I have to remember this as there is a part of me that prays and waits for the LORD to fulfill. When in a lot, if not most of my requests, there is action needed on my end to demonstrate my obedience to Him. I may not be asked to circumcise those in my house, but there is action, bold action required of me.

What is your view of your relationship with the LORD? Are you of the mindset that God is there to do all the work at your request? What if you were to take bold action as a demonstration of obedience to Him and to fulfill you end of the agreement?