Complicated Hope

“Abram called on the name of the Lord,” Genesis 13:4.

Since May of 2022 I have been studying Genesis. A ‘back to the basics’ approach but with a twist: Finding Jesus in Genesis. Genealogies, metaphors and imagery abound that point to Jesus, the Savior. It’s been fascinating and it’s been slow.

Years ago, I learned to take a more Spirit-guided approach to my study. Allowing myself to spend days or weeks in one verse. Looking at the word choice, their root meaning, even their grammatical usage. I’ve let conviction sit too. Lived in uncomfortable truth.

I try each time I pick up my Bible to begin with the prayer to ask God to reveal himself to me. Teach me. Thankfully, Father God is good about doing that even when I forget to ask because He is a good Father and He knows what I need.

Today as I was reading, the phrase “name of the Lord” struck me. Abram didn’t call on the Lord. He didn’t pray. He didn’t call on God. He called on the Lord’s name.

Why?

Proverbs 18:10 says, “the name of the Lord is a strong tower the righteous run into and they are safe.”

Abram called for the Lord’s to protect him IN the battle. Not stop the battle. Not make a way around it. Not even through it because it was not like the Red Sea parting here. Abram saw the battle ahead and knew he had to be IN the battle.

Battles aren’t pretty. Sometimes it seems we are sitting on the field surrounded by bleeding bodies way too long. Sometimes the battle is a dark pit with no glimmer of light.

But there is a Strong Tower of Refuge – the Name of the Lord. A name we can Call on every day. Every hour. Jesus is our strong tower and we can call to Him.

Father God, I call on the name of the Lord today to be my strong tower. Be my protector. Be my safety. Let me see you, Father. Amen.