For more than a decade now my family and I have lived in rental homes. This has made it possible for us to be ready to pack up and move whenever God revealed His next plans for us. Recently, however, we’ve been asked to leave our current home as the owner has new plans for it. It’s a beautiful house on a very large plot in the middle of a forest, so we’ve grown very fond of living there. But after 6 years we’re saying goodbye and don’t yet know where we’re headed.
Abram was a wealthy man, but when God called him he left all the security and comfort of his homeland and headed into the desert with his wife Sarai and their family (Genesis 12:1-4, Genesis 13:1). Initially he didn’t know where he was going; and he lived the rest of his days as a sojourner—rarely settling anywhere for long. He trusted in God’s promise that He would make Abram a great nation: “All the families on earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:3). Abram trusted in God and the words He spoke to him, even when things became difficult and ran contrary to what was expected of a wealthy, respected man.
Along his journey Abram made a number of mistakes. For example, he lied about Sarai on two occasions, saying she was merely his sister (she was his half-sister) and not his wife in order to protect himself. But did God give up on him? Never! God’s promises aren’t dependent on our getting it right all the time. He simply seeks our heart for Him and availability to Him—our willingness to allow Him to use us as He wills, trusting that He’s always for us.
Abram kept His eyes on God and His promises and ceased to care about the fact that he had no permanent earthly home. He knew his real home was eternal—with God forever.
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Luke 10:1-24
More:
Read Hebrews 11:8-12 and consider how Abram is described as a man “looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God.”
Next:
How attached are you to where you live or what you’re doing in life? Why is it important for us to loosen our grip on these things?
Gary Shultz on July 31, 2015 at 7:21 am
Good questions. As one gets older the moving thing is less attractive. I know Abe starting his moving business at 75, but he lived well over 100. I’m sorry you have to move since you liked it there; however, I’m sure you know God has something, someone in mind for you folks, let the adventure begin. Yes, we do have to hold things lightly here, but hold things more tightly in God’s plan. Life is short, big things await the faithful. Thanks
Tom Felten on July 31, 2015 at 10:49 am
Russell, what an amazing, faithful God. he never gives up on us, and uses us in spite of our imperfections. I’m so grateful for His presence with us day by day and look forward to the time when we’ll be with Him on a perfect, restored earth!
Winn Collier on August 1, 2015 at 6:42 pm
Wallace Stegner used to say, “I may not who I am, but I know where I come from.” I think that fits here. I’m glad that being home with God and being rooted in this world are not at odds.