Halfway to Canaan

I had a startling revelation this morning and I'm still pondering its meaning. I'm a little behind on reading for my Bible study and decided to catch up today. I was making good progress until I came to a verse that stopped me in my tracks.

"... they went out together from Ur of the Chaldeans in order to enter the land of Canaan..."

No. That is not a reference to Abraham's journey. It's a reference to his father, Terah. I've read this many times, but never caught it until today. Terah, along with Abraham, Sarai, and Lot, left Ur of the Chaldeans. They were headed toward Canaan.

Abraham's journey began with the journey of his father.

Terah, however, stopped short of his destination. 

They traveled about 600 miles, reached Haran, and settled there. A little over halfway, they stopped. They settled. They lived and died.

There was nothing wrong with Haram. Abraham prospered there and was soon a wealthy man. Life was good, but they weren't in Canaan. I don't know if Abraham would have left on his own, but the call of God came to him with clarity.

"Go forth." 

God spoke with more than direction. He spoke with promise. 

"I will make you a great nation.  I will bless you. I will make your name great. I will make you a blessing." If Abraham made the journey, God would do more than he could have ever hoped.

Terah settled at a good place when he was 400 miles from the promised place.

I've stopped in my own Haram before. Halfway between where I was and where God wanted me to go. It was a good place, but it wasn't the promised place. It was the place of prosperity but not peace.

Perhaps you've experienced something similar. It's easy to do. We begin a life of faith and settle for a life of religion. We begin a life of daring and settle for a life of mundane routine. We begin a life of obedience and settle for a life of habit.

God is calling and a choice is required.

Will we stay in our Haram, our place of comfort and safety? Will we step out in faith and proceed onward to our place of promise?

Terah chose to cut short his journey and have comfort and safety. He eventually died in that place.

Abraham chose the longer journey of obedience. It was dangerous and uncertain. He eventually changed the world because he went.

The same choice lies before us. Daring obedience or routine religion. 

Which will we choose? 

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In case you missed one of this week's posts, here are the links: Out with the Old, Freedom and Grace, Walking with God or Hiding with the World,  The Same Jesus, and The God Who Never Fails.

#obedience #thejourneybeginswithonestep #disciple #Abraham #Terah #Christian