Follow, but where to? | Abram

Bible: Genesis 12

'Come along!' That is a familiar call used in everyday life. You call someone to come with you. Or someone calls you to go somewhere with them. The reasons for this can vary. Usually, the first reaction is: 'But where to?' Or: 'Why?' Suppose the other person is not clear about this and only says: 'Just come with me. I promise you, you won't regret it.' What would you do? 

A SIMILAR SITUATION IS FOUND IN THE BIBLE.

This is the story of Abram. He lives with his family in Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq). In daily life, he takes care of the sheep—a profession that was very common over five thousand years ago. Abram had a good life. He had no reason to change his situation. However, Abram had a great sorrow. He was married to Sarah, but they had not had a child. 

Unexpectedly, something happens in Abram’s life. God (the Creator of heaven and earth) speaks to him. Abram receives a command. He must leave his country, his family, and his father’s house and go to a land that God will show him. Abram does not know which land that will be. God only asks for obedience to go with Him and follow Him. God does promise Abram that he will become a great nation. And that through him all peoples on this earth will be blessed. God will bless Abram and give him a good name. 

WHY DID GOD CALL ABRAM?

God has a plan. He knows that people on earth live without Him. It was not always this way. For God created the earth and people good. Without shortcomings. In the beginning, there was perfect love and harmony. There was no sorrow or pain. Unfortunately, this did not remain so. The first people, Adam and Eve, were disobedient to God. Instead of following God, they listened to the devil. He is the liar and adversary of God. Through this disobedience, evil came into the world, with death as a result. But despite this, God continued to love this world and therefore came with His plan of salvation. God would send His own Son, Jesus Christ, to this earth to restore the broken relationship between God and people. 

And while no one on earth sought or seeks God, God does seek out people. Like Abram, to whom He gave this command. For from his family the promised Redeemer, Jesus, would be born. 

WHAT DOES ABRAM DO?

He listens to the voice of God. His life changes completely. No longer does he follow his own passions and desires, but he does what God asks of him. That does not happen automatically. Abram has much to learn. For example, that things in life do not always go as he wants, but always as God wants. He learned that God does not ask for partial, but total obedience. Fortunately, God is patient and trustworthy. What God promises, He also does. When Abram does not know how to go on, God encourages him. When Abram goes the wrong way, God corrects him. Abram is also tested (tried) by God, and it became clear that Abram loved God more than anything on this earth, whatever it might be.  

LET’S FOLLOW ABRAM FOR A WHILE.

There he goes, toward the unknown land. It is a long journey, without navigation. But God shows him the way, step by step. When Abram finally arrives in Canaan (present-day Israel), God makes it clear that this is the promised land. Abram immediately builds an altar, for he wants to thank God. 

But soon Abram is confronted with a difficult situation: famine! What is this? Hadn’t God promised that…? And why is this happening now? That can also be our experience in life. If God exists, then… 

Abram decides to flee to Egypt, where there is enough food. An understandable choice. From a wealthy shepherd, he becomes a refugee. But the closer Abram gets to the border, the more he worries. For Sarah is a beautiful woman, and Abram is afraid they will kidnap her in Egypt and kill him. Abram thinks, weighs his options, and comes up with his own safety plan. In Egypt, exactly what Abram feared happens. Several men in Egypt are curious about who Sarah is. And what does Abram say? Sarah is my sister. Abram thinks he can save his own life with a lie. Pharaoh hears about it too. It does not take long before he takes Sarah as his wife. Abram receives many gifts for this, but he loses his wife. And not only his wife, he also seems to have lost God. With all his worries, Abram had not gone to God, but had relied on his own understanding. Centuries later, Jesus says: ‘For whoever wants to save his life (wants to keep it in his own hands), will lose it; but whoever loses his life (entrusts himself to God’s will and guidance) for My sake, will find it.’ (Matthew 16, verse 25) 

WHAT ABOUT GOD’S PROMISE NOW?

God does not forget Abram. For God does not forget His own promise. He reigns and ensures that Sarah returns to Abram. Through this, Abram receives a clear lesson: do not trust in yourself. Do not expect it from yourself. God says: come to Me. Trust in Me. Expect it from Me. Do not follow yourself, your own ways, but follow Me. With that lesson, Abram returns to Canaan. Abram learned: God is trustworthy. God is gracious. 

Not long after, a new crisis arises on Abram’s life path. A business dispute arises. The workers of Lot (a nephew of Abram) and the workers of Abram have a conflict. There is no other option but to separate. Abram calls Lot to him. He says to Lot: ‘You may choose: where do you want to go?’ What does Lot do? Does he say: ‘You are older, you have more right to choose first?’ No, Lot looks around and chooses what seems to be the best part. A fertile lowland with enough grass and water for the sheep. In that valley lie the two great cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. 

Abram is fine with it; he himself goes the other way, toward the barren desert. He now leaves it up to God. Could this be His intention? 

GOD ENCOURAGES ABRAM.

Lot has barely left when God speaks to Abram again. God returns to His promise. He encourages Abram: “Look at the stars. Can you count them? Abram, look at the sand of the desert. Do you know how many grains of sand are here? Countless. That is how great your family, your descendants will be.” Abram and Sarah still had no children, and Sarah was actually already too old to have children. Yet Abram and Sarah have a son, in God’s time. With God, nothing is impossible. What God promises, He also does. Then and also today. 

For: “What does the story of Abraham have to say to me,” you may wonder? Thousands of years later, God’s plan to send His Son into the world from the family of Abraham became reality. Jesus Christ, the Redeemer, came to this earth. He called people to follow Him. He still does. He also calls you: ‘Follow Me’.