“From the Negev he went from place to place until he came to Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had been earlier.”           Genesis 13:3 NIV

As soon as Abram is back in the land, there is the tent and the altar again. There is no tent or altar in Egypt. That is, there is no pilgrim character, no place of worship or repentance, no fellowship in Egypt. But even back in the land, Abram must come back to the place where he had made an altar at the first, and there Abram calls upon the name of the Lord. In other words, time spent in Egypt is wasted time! There was no growth in grace in that land. He had to come right back to where he was when he went down to Egypt. He had material gain to show for the time in Egypt, but nothing but barrenness and weakness spiritually. Have you discovered how true this is? When we forsake the pathway of faith, when we refuse to walk in fellowship with our Lord, in the power and ministry of the Holy Spirit, when we depend upon the resources of the world to satisfy the empty hunger of our hearts, these are wasted years! They may literally be years. When Abram at last returned, what did he find? There is no mention of famine when he returns, possibly the famine is still going on. Abram is no longer troubled about it. Why not? Because, when he reached the land, the first thing he did was to call on the name of the Lord! This is what he should have done, and could have done, when the famine first struck.

PRAYER THOUGHT

Lord, help us to return to the place of repentance and worship.

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord thank You for the gift of being able to return to that place of repentance and worship, after we have wandered away from You, trusting in the things of this world. AMEN

INTERNATIONAL BIBLE READING ASSOCIATION (IBRA)

Isaiah 18:1-7

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