Being Responsive to God, Results In God's Blessing

I'm enjoying the connections between the Old and New Testament readings that I've made already in the M'Cheyne Bible reading plan. I found one in Sunday's family reading from Genesis 13 and Matthew 12; it's all about responsiveness and blessing. Actually, the connection began yesterday as I read the familiar passage of Abram's commissioning in Genesis 12:1–2 (NASB):

Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go forth from your country, And from your relatives And from your father’s house, To the land which I will show you; (2) And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a …

There you see it: When Abram responds to God's Word (v.1) He is blessed in verse(s) 2 and three. Last year as I went through this, I took note that Abram didn't do what God told him to do. God said to go from his relatives, and yet in verse 5 we see that he brings his nephew Lot along with him. And if you know the story, Lot added a LOT of strife to Abram's life. And yet, he was blessed by God. I rationalized, last year, that the blessing came because God fulfills His promises--He is faithful to us even when we are not faithful to Him. 

This year I saw something new in chapter 13 that has me seeing it differently. It is true that God is faithful and always keeps His promises. But, with this particular promise I have a hard time separating Abram's need to obey God, from him experiencing the blessing God describes in verses 2 and three. In verses 14–15 of chapter 13 I found my resolution. 

Then the Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, "now lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are… for all the land which you see, I will give it to you…"

The blessing didn't get underway until Abram was responsive to what God said. He said "go from your relatives… and i will bless you." It wasn't until "after Lot had separated from him" that God confirmed the blessing that was about to take place. 

With this postulate fresh in my mind I read Matthew chapter 12. 

"Behold My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother." (vs. 49–50). 

When God makes known His will to us and we respond in obedience, we receive the greatest blessing there is: our identity is changed to that of Child of God.

As children, the Father's blessing doesn't flow until we are responding to the Father's desire.