Abram is from the royal bloodline of Seth and Shem, and apart from God Himself (and of course the Messiah Jesus), he is the central character of the entire Bible.
Let’s journey back around 4000 years ago where Abram suddenly becomes the centre of God’s attention.
Genesis 12:1 Now the Lord had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you.
Abram was born in Ur of Chaldea (in modern day Iraq). His father moved all the family to Haran (in modern day Turkey).
It was here that the Lord called Abram to leave his 1. Country 2. Family and 3. Father’s house.
This was a calling away from everything that Abram knew and held dear. I’m Australian. I love Australia. I am a proud and a patriotic Australian. I am sure you love your nation too and are proud of your national identity. Abram certainly would have been. It was all he knew.
He was part of a large and close Middle Eastern family – Shemites. Uncles, aunts, nephews, nieces, cousins, fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, grandparents, great grandparents, husbands, wives, the good ones, the rogues, the diligent, the lazy, the clean, the smelly ones. They grew up together. They knew each other, lived near each other, ate together, celebrated together, learned together, liked one another, didn’t like one another, loved each other. This is Abram’s family.
His father’s house consisted of his close family – the biological special knit relationships with his mother and father and brothers. This was his base cultural reference point.
The Lord came ‘knocking at Abram’s door’ and said “I want you to leave all that now. I want to pluck you from all you have known and loved because you have been destined to walk with Me and learn from Me about My kingdom and My ultimate plan for this world.”
Are you prepared to leave all to follow the Lord when He calls?
Perhaps you have a short story of how you have done that.