Genesis Chapter 11: verses 31-32 (NLT)
One day Terah took his son Abram, his daughter-in-law Sarai (his son Abram’s wife), and his grandson Lot (his son Haran’s child) and moved away from Ur of the Chaldeans. He was headed for the land of Canaan, but they stopped at Haran and settled there. Terah lived for 205 years and died while still in Haran.
Genesis Chapter 12: Verses 4-6 (NLT)
So Abram departed as the Lord had instructed, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. He took his wife, Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all his wealth—his livestock and all the people he had taken into his household at Haran—and headed for the land of Canaan. When they arrived in Canaan, Abram traveled through the land as far as Shechem. There he set up camp beside the oak of Moreh. At that time, the area was inhabited by Canaanites.
We don’t know if it was God who told Terah to take his family and head for Canaan as the bible doesn’t give a reason for his leaving Ur. But we know he didn’t reach Canaan and the family settled in Haran until his death. But God called Abraham, (Abram as he was then) out of Haran and into Canaan, and he obeyed. We don’t know whether they should have gone earlier, or what they missed out on by settling down in Haran. But we know that God spoke to Abraham and he obeyed. He was given another chance to go to the place he had set out for years before.
We’re at the beginning of a year. We might have set ourselves resolutions or objectives for the year ahead but we may not achieve them all. The most important thing, however, is that if God calls us to do something, then we do it and don’t try to compromise. There is no guarantee that we will get a second chance, although we know that God is gracious. The best way is to persevere and do as He bids us to. He won’t let us flounder on our own.
Dear Lord,
Thank You for giving Abraham another opportunity to reach his goal, which was part of Your plan, and for his obedience. Help me not to settle for something that is not part of Your plan, no matter how comfortable I am. I ask in Jesus’ Name. Amen.