Encouraged by the Faithful - Pt 3

Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” So Abram went, as the LORD had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people that they had acquired in Haran, and they set out to go to the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan, Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him. From there he moved to the hill country on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. And there he built an altar to the LORD and called upon the name of the LORD. (Genesis 12:1-8 ESV). So much has happened in the time lapse between Noah and Abram. The earth has repopulated and the division of the races and difference of language has taken place with the destruction of the Tower of Babel. It might tempt us to wonder where the grace of God has gone during this time of history. However, it has been inexorably working in the midst of humanity to one of the great stories of the Old Testament. The call of Abram from the Ur of the Chaldees is an incredible reminded of the faithfulness of God to keep his children and provide for his people. Our reading today is but the beginning of the story. God comes to this man, who certainly had no prior knowledge of God and his will, and directs him to take all of his family to a land that would be shown to him. Remember that Abram was not some poor man barely able to eke out a meager existence. He had servants and herds and flocks before God called him to relocate to this unknown land. He was comfortable right where he was. He had no reason at all to leave except God spoke to him. Again we see the initiative of God to continue his purpose to save his people. There are two things I want us to note from our reading today. At each place Abram comes to God reminds him of the promise to give him that land. It is always a future hope that Abram is called on to trust. Second, with each affirmation of the promise Abram’s response is to build an altar to the Lord. He does this as a mean of worship. It is an expression of his trust in God to take him where he has promised. It recalls a similar promise Jesus made to his disciples just prior to his death (cf. John 14:1-6). I find this one of the most encouraging truths of the Scripture. I need not worry about the end of the journey; that is predetermined. My calling is to go to the next place that God directs me and trust him to take me to the next one when I’m ready. Build your altar wherever you are. It’s the right place to worship Him!