For the Europe Prayer Group:
Gen 12:4 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
Gen 12:5 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 land of Canaan
Gen 12:6 Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land.
God will not reject those who want to seek him. God didn’t call to Lot, but when Lot went with Abraham, God didn’t say to Abraham:”You cannot take Lot .” God will accept Lot , just as he accepts Abraham. However, it needs a beginning. If there is no Abraham, it was impossible for Lot to depart from his homeland. Today, we are Abraham’s offspring in spirit (Gal.3:7) and we also have this responsibility to invite others. Let people be blessed through us.
Abraham was 75 years old when he decided to leave. He is an old man. We know his whole life is 175 years old. Seventy-five years is about 43% of his whole life. Can you image? After 75 years passed, he still has such kind of brave to change! Abraham is a true hero! His greatness is not because of his wealth or his strength but of his inner charters! He wants to change after God’s calling, and he did it! How about us? After we heard the calling of God, can we also change as our father of faith did?
Abraham took all his possessions, his wife, and his servants to the land of Canaan Haran
Sometimes, we are full of hopes and expecting a bright and successful future when we received the calling of God. After all, he promised to give us blessings. However, the reality may depress us just as Abraham faced when he went to the land. How could it be! There are people who lived there! In other words, no land is free for me! Abram found this truth. He tried hard to pass through the land and want to find a piece of small land for himself and for his family. Then he gave up to search because the Canaanites owned the whole land.
Gen 12:7 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.
At that moment, God showed himself to Abram. “Do not worry about the land.” “Do not doubt my promises.” “I will give this land to your offspring.” Abraham accepted God’s words, which many of us today cannot. “You promised that I will receive your blessings and that’s why I obeyed your words and moved my family to this place!” “You lie to me and keep telling lies!” Many of us then choose to leave the land and move back to our old place. But Abraham accepted! Are we willing to accept God’s comforts when the reality is not like what we thought?
Abraham built an altar to the LORD. Not only he accepts but also shows his thanksgivings. Sometimes, we are reluctant to follow God’s words. “Well, he is God and I fear to be punished.” Abraham is different. He accepts God’s words and truly offers his thanksgivings to God. Remember? “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you (1The.5:16-18).”
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Index:
The story of Abraham (1)
The story of Abraham (3)
The story of Abraham (4)
http://blog.xuite.net/owenchaolin/deutschland/213807525
The story of Abraham (5)
http://blog.xuite.net/owenchaolin/deutschland/214392582
