Jesse Tree December 2 Camel
Camel reading: Genesis 12:1-3
God calls Abraham out from among his people. He will be the first in the line of the Hebrew nation. Not the first in Jesus’ line for that belongs to Adam.
When we visited this story in our regular bible reading time I noted that Abraham’s father was the one who started their journey to Canaan. We are not told how old everyone was when Terah originally set out with his family to journey to Canaan. They didn’t make it all the way though. They stopped in Haran.
I had been told that Abraham left for Canaan after Terah died but this is wrong. Terah lived to be 205 years old. He had Abraham when he was 70 and Abraham set out for Canaan when he was 75, making Terah 145 at that time. Abraham, who at the time was Abram, recognized the importance of God’s call above his desire to stay with his family.
What was it that tugged so strongly on his heart? Was it his desire to be a father? God told him He would make him a “great nation” (verse 2b) indicating that at some point he would have a child. Did he personally know this God who called him? How did he meet Him? He was living in a city of many gods. Was it ‘wander lust’ that pushed him over the edge? Or was there possibly friction in his relationship with his father that gave him the urge to strike out alone anyway? Was God’s timing just right or was Abram longing to get back on the road to Canaan from the time they stopped in Haran?
From God’s perspective I have a few questions too. What was it about Abram that caught God’s interest? Why did He choose this man among all the others on earth to be the start of His people? Was Abram already committed to Him? Was he ‘doing good works’ first? What was it God saw in him? We know it was not his perfection because Abram/Abraham made PLENTY of mistakes. But he learned from them too.
God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called. And to qualify in the beginning He requires only one thing, answering when He calls. That was all Abram had to do too. He had to pick up one foot and place it in front of the other onto the path God laid out for him. That is when his story really began.
Father God, I know You see beyond what man sees. You look at my heart. You know what I will answer ‘yes’ to even before I do. I remember the first time I picked up my pencil and started journaling with my bible. You built me step by step to where I am today with Your word. You opened my heart to Your Spirit by ‘speaking’ through my pencil. You then gave me the desire to share the amazing pieces YOU shared with me. I’m no Abram/Abraham but I feel blessed to have been ‘called out’ to do something for You. Thank You for ‘setting the stage’ for Jesus’ birth with Abraham’s obedience.
