The Call of Abram: Leaving Home for a Promised Land
There are moments in life that redefine everything, pivotal junctures where the familiar gives way to the unknown, and a divine whisper becomes a resounding command. For Abram, a man living in the ancient city of Ur of the Chaldeans, such a moment arrived with breathtaking clarity. His story, recorded in the book of Genesis 12, is not merely an ancient historical account; it is a timeless narrative of faith, obedience, and the audacious nature of God's call upon a human life.
Abram's call was a summons to leave everything he knew – his country, his kindred, and his father's house – for a land that God would show him. It was a call to step into the vast, uncharted territory of faith, trusting solely in the word of an invisible God. For us today, centuries removed from the dust and tents of ancient Mesopotamia, the echoes of Abram's journey resonate deeply, inviting us to consider what it truly means to follow God when His path diverges sharply from our own.
The Unexpected Summons: A Man in Mesopotamia
Before the call, Abram was not a king, a prophet, or a religious leader. He was a man from Ur, a thriving, sophisticated city known for its ziggurats, advanced culture, and rampant idolatry. His family, like many others, served other gods (Joshua 24:2). This context is crucial: God did not call Abram because he was inherently righteous or uniquely qualified by human standards. He called him out of a pagan background, demonstrating that God's grace initiates, and His choice is sovereign.
Abram's journey actually began in Genesis 11:31, when his father Terah took Abram, his wife Sarai, and his nephew Lot from Ur to go to the land of Canaan, but they stopped and settled in Haran. It was likely in Haran, after Terah's death, that the full, explicit command came to Abram. This suggests a divine patience, a drawing process, even through the partial obedience or delayed journey of others. God's ultimate plan for Abram would not be thwarted by human detours.
The Divine Command and Daring Promises
The words God spoke to Abram are among the most profound and formative in all of Scripture. They are not merely instructions but a covenantal promise, laden with implications not just for Abram, but for all of humanity:
Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Consider the sheer audacity of this command and its accompanying promises. Abram was asked to relinquish everything tangible and familiar for an unseen future. Yet, God sweetened the command with incredible assurances. These promises can be summarized as:
- A New Land: He would be shown a land, a place of inheritance and dwelling.
- A Great Nation: Despite being childless, he would become the father of a vast multitude.
- A Great Name: His reputation would be exalted, not through self-promotion, but by divine decree.
- A Source of Blessing: He would not merely receive blessing, but become a channel through which God's blessing would flow to others.
- Divine Protection: God Himself would defend Abram, blessing those who blessed him and cursing those who cursed him.
- Universal Blessing: Crucially, through Abram, "all the families of the earth shall be blessed." This promise foreshadows the coming of Jesus Christ, the ultimate Seed of Abraham, through whom salvation is offered to all peoples.
These promises were not conditional upon Abram's perfection, but upon God's faithfulness. Abram's part was simply to obey the command to go.
The Act of Obedience: Leaving the Familiar
What was Abram's response to such an overwhelming proposition? The Scripture is remarkably succinct:
So Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people whom they had acquired in Haran, and they set out to go to the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan,
He went. No argument, no negotiation, no delay. At seventy-five years old, an age when most people seek comfort and stability, Abram packed up his entire life – his family, his livestock, his servants – and began a journey into the unknown. This was not a casual relocation; it was a radical reorientation of his entire existence based solely on God's word.
His obedience was an act of profound faith. Hebrews 11:8 beautifully articulates this: "By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going." This highlights the essence of faith: acting on God's word even when the destination is unclear, the path is uncertain, and the future seems utterly dependent on a promise yet unfulfilled.
The Journey of Faith: Trusting in the Unknown
Abram's journey was not without its challenges. He faced famine (Genesis 12:10), conflict (Genesis 13:7), and the long, agonizing wait for the promised heir. There were moments of doubt and human failing, as seen in his attempts to ensure the promise through Hagar (Genesis 16:2) or his fear-driven deceptions concerning Sarai (Genesis 12:11-13, Genesis 20:2). Yet, through it all, God remained faithful to His covenant.
God reiterated His promises to Abram multiple times (Genesis 13:14-17, Genesis 15:1-21, Genesis 17:1-8), strengthening his faith and reminding him of the ultimate goal. The journey was not just physical; it was a spiritual pilgrimage, shaping Abram into Abraham, the "father of a multitude." It was a process of learning to depend entirely on God, to live as a sojourner, with his hope fixed not on earthly possessions, but on the "city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God" (Hebrews 11:10).
Lessons for Today: Our Own Calls to Leave
The call of Abram is not just a historical anecdote; it is a profound paradigm for Christian living. While few of us will receive a literal command to pack up and move to a new land, the principles of Abram's obedience are universally applicable to the believer's journey:
- God Calls Us Out of the Familiar: Just as Abram was called out of Ur's idolatry, we are called out of the world's systems, values, and comforts that would hinder our walk with God. This might mean leaving behind certain habits, relationships, or ambitions that conflict with God's will.
- Faith Requires Action, Even Without Full Understanding: Abram didn't know where he was going, but he went. Our faith is often tested when God asks us to step forward without a clear map, relying solely on His promise and character. This could be a call to missions, a new career path, forgiveness, or simply trusting God with an uncertain future.
- God's Promises Fuel Our Obedience: Abram obeyed because God promised incredible blessings. We are called to live in light of God's greater promises: eternal life, His presence, His provision, and the ultimate consummation of His kingdom. These promises empower us to make sacrifices in the present.
- Obedience Leads to Blessing, for Ourselves and Others: Abram became a great nation and a blessing to all families. When we obey God, not only are we blessed, but we also become channels of blessing to those around us, pointing them to the God who calls and keeps His word.
- The Journey is More Important Than the Immediate Destination: For Abram, the "promised land" was both a physical place and a spiritual reality. Our Christian life is a journey of becoming more like Christ, a pilgrimage towards our eternal home. The challenges and detours along the way are often precisely where God deepens our faith and refines our character.
In a world that constantly beckons us to settle, to accumulate, and to find security in what is seen, the call of Abram challenges us to live differently. It reminds us that our true security lies not in our possessions or plans, but in the unwavering faithfulness of the God who calls us.
Embracing Our Own Calls
Are we listening for God's call in our own lives? Is there something He is asking us to "leave"? Perhaps it's a fear, a comfort zone, a past hurt, or a self-sufficient mindset. The call of Abram is a timeless invitation to embrace the adventure of faith, to step into the unknown with confidence, knowing that the One who calls us is utterly trustworthy.
May we, like Abram, respond with simple, courageous obedience, trusting that the God who leads us is also the God who provides, protects, and ultimately fulfills every one of His glorious promises. For in leaving what is familiar and comfortable, we often find ourselves truly arriving at the place God has always intended for us – a place of deeper communion with Him and a life of profound purpose.