Faith brings us out (vv. 4-5). It may have been a son’s love for his aged father that made Abraham delay (Luke 9:59-62), but the day finally came when he and Sarah had to leave Haran and go to the land God chose for them. Faith and a double mind never go together (James 1:6-8), and you cannot serve two masters (Matt. 6:24). Faith demands commitment.

I sometimes get the impression that commitment is a vanishing commodity in today’s world. Many people don’t want to be committed to their jobs, their marriage vows, or to one another. “I’m going to do my thing my way!” is the essence of today’s philosophy, and this attitude has invaded the church. Many believers will not commit themselves to ministering in one church but move from church to church when pastors and music programs change. “Temporary” is a key word today: temporary Sunday school teachers and youth sponsors, temporary choir members, temporary church members, and even temporary pastors.

“It is a day of fading declarations,” said Vance Havner. “Church covenants are found in the backs of hymn books, but they have faded in the lives of most of our members–if they ever meant anything. Declarations of personal dedication grow dim, and need to be renewed. It is a day of faded declarations!”

Where would we be today if Abraham and Sarah had not committed themselves to obey the Lord by faith? Where would we be if previous generations of Christians had not given themselves fully to the Lord? We who come along later must not take for granted the things that previous generations paid a great price to attain. May the next generation look back at us and say, “They were faithful!”