21 Days of Prayer & Fasting: Day 8
America World’s goal is to make sure that orphaned children get the opportunity for a better life. We not only help provide shelter, food, education, and medical care to orphaned children around the world but most importantly, we help them get adopted into loving families. This year 100 children have already come home.
As we enter the Season of Hope we are once again entering into a 21-day time of prayer and fasting. Each day has a special scripture focus as well as a devotional written by America World adoptive mom, Cheri Strange. Enjoy Day 8 below, and please continue to join us each day for a time of prayer and devotion as we focus on meeting the needs of children worldwide.
Day 8 of 21 • This day’s reading
Haran was 300 miles short of Canaan. That’s a daunting distance from the final destination if you are traveling by foot with a caravan. The Bible doesn’t tell us what might have kept Abraham from moving forward any more than I know what might put the brakes on your personal journey from time to time. What we do know is that in this protracted pit stop in Haran, God extended a second invitation for Abraham to finish the journey.
Isn’t that beautiful?
Our God is a God who is able to bring us back to focus when we lose our way, regardless of the cost. Our wanderings, side ventures, less than perfect jaunts off the path of obedience are within the bounds of God’s grace and sovereignty.
Abraham was willing to pick up that caravan and move forward. Surely there were murmurings in his midst of the land being not-so-promise-laden. There was also a famine on the horizon. He obviously didn’t yet have an heir, and the Canaanites already possessed this Divinely given piece of earth. How could anything contained within the promises ever be fulfilled?
We know there were some doubts about how this whole faith experiment was going to work out because this regular guy makes some choices that muddy the waters quite a bit, with lasting ramifications. As a result of Abraham’s doubts, he feared for his life and required his wife to lie about her identity. This brilliant move caused Sarah to be taken as a wife for Pharaoh. When God intervened and she was released, Pharaoh showered Abraham with gifts, including male and female servants. Isn’t it interesting that another situation down the road, that was not orchestrated by God, but permitted, involved an Egyptian servant named Hagar?
In spite of the fears and doubts, God was faithful to His call and used Abraham profoundly. Across his journey toward the Promised Land, Abraham’s faith grew ever deeper. God is always working in us to further our faith in Him. Maybe, like Abraham, He is calling you still forward to trust Him.
Today what work does God want to do in you to help further your faith? Give up your fears and your doubts to Him. He can work it all out better than you and I. Let’s be open to going the whole journey wherever it may lead.
This 21-day devotional is also available as a Plan on YouVersion. Follow along on your mobile device each day by searching “What if You Were the Plan?”