Walking the Trail

 

Now the LORD said1 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 pin 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. (Genesis 11:1-7 ESV).

 

I’ve hunted many different places throughout the years. Every one of them required hiking a bit to get to a spot I thought might be productive. I remember one morning when I set out before sunrise for a little longer hike than usual. As I walked, the sun began to rise on the horizon. There were high clouds in the sky that slowly drifted away as the sun broke through. Arriving at my previously scouted spot after a bit I was able to watch the world wake up. These times are always some of my favorite moments in the outdoors. As I came to our reading today I was reminded of the journey of Abraham through Canaan.

 

God had brought Abram (whom he later renamed Abraham) and his household on a long journey from Harran (in present-day Turkey) to the land of Canaan (present-day Israel). God had made promises, and Abraham had trusted God, taking him at his word (Genesis 12:1-7). As we can see in today’s reading, God promised to give Abraham all of the land that he could see around him in Canaan. And God said, “Go, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you.” God promised to bless Abraham and his descendants there, and Abraham settled in that land and worshiped the Lord.

 

Today, as I think of the many “walks” I have taken through life I am thankful for Abraham’s example. God might not call us to journey on foot, but he does call each of us to follow him in faith and faithfulness. And through Jesus, a descendant of Abraham, God keeps his promises to us. Trust God to take you all the way to your heavenly home!