THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST: GENESIS and EXODUS (5)

THE CALL and TRAVEL of ABRAM

GENESIS 12-14

Key Passage: Genesis 12:1-9: 13:14-18

CHAPTER 12	CHAPTER 13 - 14
Call of Abram From Ur and Haran	Travels of Abram in Canaan	Troubles of Abram with Lot
“Leave your country…”	“…go to the land I will show you” (12:1)

OVERVIEW Chapters 12-14 describe God’s call of Abram to leave his home in Ur and then again in Haran (both in modern-day Iraq), and travel to a distant but un specified new land. Abram faces many potential distractions along the way: the death of his father in Haran, a severe famine, the worldly pursuits of his nephew Lot. But God is looking for a man of faith who will trust Him completely to keep His promises. For Abram and his descendants, those promises include receiving a great name, becoming a great nation, and experiencing great blessing in the face of impossible odds.

OUR DAILY WALK How much room have you allowed in your life for God to redirect your steps?

Close your eyes and imagine for a moment that you are Abram. God has just told you to pack your belongings and prepare to move. “Move where?” you respond. “To a place I’ll show you at the proper time.” So you obey. You quit your job, load up your furniture, pack up your family, and head out of town.

Destination: Unknown!

If this sounds far-fetched, reread the opening verses of chapter 12. That is precisely the challenge Abram faced.

Supposed God told you to do something that just didn’t fit into your own master plan for your life. Would you be willing to respond by faith and trust Him one step at a time – for finances, a place to live, a new church, a new circle of friends? During a quiet moment today, take a walk, and get alone with God. Be candid with Him. If you’re available, tell Him so. If you're not but you want to be, tell Him too. Then relax and let Him lead.

It is not enough to want to be a useful tool for God: You must be willing to sit still for the grinding that produces the edge.

INSIGHT Walking in Abrams’s Sandals

While Abram’s faith was growing, so was his stamina. After walking 600 miles from Ur to Haran, Abram set out at the age of 75 for the land of Canaan – 400 miles away. He later made a 400-mile round trip to Egypt for a total of 1,400 miles.