Do you have a God-sized vision for your legacy?
“After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.” But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.” Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.” Genesis 15:1-6 NIV
Legacy is what you put in motion today that will bless and redemptively impact future generations. So, as you finish the second week of 2025, what are you putting into motion?
Faith or Fear?
Abram (soon to be renamed Abraham, “exalted father”) was afraid. He and his clan just rescued his nephew Lot from a conquering kingdom who were carrying them into slavery. Abram and his family lived in a very dangerous neighborhood with threats on every side. He and his family were vulnerable. God came to him in a vision with these words, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.”
Whether wildfires burning LA, wars flaring up all over the globe, political turmoil in our own country, a struggling marriage, or those lab results that are due back next week, fear comes looking for all of us. God gave Abram three antidotes to fear: He assured him of his presence (I am here), called him by name (I see you - I know you), and told him not to be afraid (You are safe with me). God then reveals two aspects of his nature; I am your shield (protection) and your very great reward (what I give you is beyond compare).
Doable, or Impossible?
When it comes to vision we often see two varieties in the Bible; Doable (What we can accomplish on our own if we work hard enough) and Impossible (What only God can bring about - period).
Later in chapter 12 Abram and his family relocate to Egypt due to a famine. Abram devises a “doable” plan to protect himself in a very risky situation - he asks Sarai to tell people she is his sister instead of his wife in case Pharoah wants to kill him and take her into his harem.
His plan works, sort of. Abram comes under the protection of Pharoah and is treated well, and Sarai is taken. So, what’s the problem here? (There are so many problems!)
At root, Abram chose fear over faith. (Didn’t God just tell him not to be afraid and assured him of his protection?) Once fear takes hold we begin turning to doable vision and strategies - something we can control that makes us feel better in the moment.
But God called Abram to an impossible vision - to have a child with Sarai who would be blessed and multiply as the stars fill the heavens. Over the next 25 years God prepared Abraham and Sarah to finally grasp the true vision he gave them culminating in the birth of Isaac. It took a long time - developing a heart of faith that trusts God’s impossible visions is a life-long pursuit.
This afternoon Sandi and I will meet with our financial advisor to go over our investments. Our vision going into that meeting is primarily doable - if we stick to a good plan, manage our spending, increase our savings, and determine what is most important to us, we should be OK. It feels doable. (Even though in reality waking up tomorrow morning, getting out of bed, and going to work is 100% dependent on the grace and goodness of God.)
God’s vision for our lives, for your life, is bigger than making wise investments and getting a decent return. But we will never grasp it if we keep reacting to life’s challenges in fear rather than responding in faith.
Through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit God is with you - right now, no matter how scary the situation.
God sees you, he gets you, he knows you, he fully understands who you are and the exact situation you are in. And he calls you by name as his beloved son or daughter.
God has a message for you: “I am with you. I am your shield and your very great reward. Do not be afraid.”