Theme

God’s call and promise in the life of the one who trusts him

Questions

• What do you think it means to be called by God? Are their different kinds of calling?
• There are three things God calls Abram to leave (literally, “go away from” or “get out of”), country, people and father’s household; these things are where Abraham might find his security. What sort of things, where we might find security, does God call us to leave behind for him?
• God doesn’t just call Abram to ‘go from’, he also calls him to ‘go to’ (go to the land I will show you). How does this call from God offer both reassurance and uncertainty?
• John Calvin describes Abraham as going “with closed eyes”. Compare this with the way Abraham is described in Hebrews 11:8-10. Does Abram’s response to this call from God encourage you, inspire you, scare you … or something else?
• God’s call to Abram comes with a promise. Look how often the word bless or blessing is used in v.2-3.
  • What does the word ‘blessing’ mean to you?
  • What is the relationship between blessing and greatness in this promise?
  • God tells Abram that he (and his decedents) will be blessed in order to be a blessing to others. How well do you think the church lives by this promise? What about you as an individual?
• When Abram responds to God’s call he takes his responsibilities along with him (v.4-5).
  • What part do your responsibilities (to family, to education, to work, etc) play in how you respond to God’s call?
  • Can having certain responsibilities make us fearful of answering God’s call?
• During much of Abram’s story he is moving around (pitching tents for a while and then moving on).
  • How do you decide when to stay with something because that’s where God has called you (job, church, relationship, etc.) and when/if it’s time to move on?
  • Can the idea of always moving on from something make us less willing to commit when things are tough?
• Abraham is described as ‘calling on the name of the Lord’. Compare Psalm 105:1-2 and Psalm 116:3-4.
  • What are the different circumstances in which the psalmist calls on the name of the Lord?
  • Are there times when you more especially call on God? How do the words of these psalms and the example of Abram’s life encourage you to call on God more often?
• If you could ask Abraham one question, what would it be? (what do you think his answer would be?)