Learning to Trust God: part 2

There is second aspect of Abram’s call that has intrigued me. God commands Abram to Leave his country, kinsmen, and family, Go to an unfamiliar land, and Be a blessing. First, it is worth noting that Abram is originally from Ur and has moved to Haran. Both of these cities worshipped the moon god Sin. Some even think Abram’s name (Abram = “exalted father”) was a nickname of the moon god Sin. This is probably why his name is later changed to Abraham (“father of nations”). For Abram to be a blessing, he must leave the influences of his country, family, and friends. Abram can’t be a blessing if he is like everyone else. God is calling him to leave the past and embark on a new lifestyle of faith.

Second, Abram’s faith is proven when he departs his country. This is Abram’s first recorded encounter with YHWH. We have no information that Abram knows the Lord or has ever had any knowledge of him. Yet, the Lord calls Abram and tells him to go to an unknown land. Abram packs up and goes. We can conclude from the text that Abram has an immediate trust in the Lord. God’s promises to Abram are persuasive but they do require changes. Obviously, if Abram does not leave his country he will not receive the blessings God has promised. God’s promises are conditional. Abram believes the promises to be worth the cost and his faith is seen in his action. He goes to Canaan.

Next, Abram continues to trust the Lord’s plan even though it may have initially looked like a bad idea. The Canaanites possess the land and could be seen as a potential threat. The land is also stricken with a severe famine. Imagine that the Lord calls you and tells you to leave everything you have been accustomed to and go to some unknown land. Shortly after you go to the land, you find that it is already possessed and afflicted with famine.

God promised Abram great blessings if he would leave his past behind and take on the task of being a blessing. Like Abram, we cannot help the world if we are just like the world. Abram’s call is much like Christ’s call. He has called his followers to practice a lifestyle of holiness, reformation of character, and service. Some new Christians quickly find their new walk of life to be difficult (as Abram found Canaan). We must follow in the footsteps of Abram and continue to trust God.