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.
2 I will make you a great nation;
I will bless you
And make your name great;
And you shall be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you,
And I will curse him who curses you;
And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Abraham’s father, Terah, has already moved his family from Ur of the Chaldees to Haran, on the Balikh River. This area is quite fertile and Haran is also a major trading center, with the Euphrates River being 100 km eastward. Although Terah might originally be heading for Canaan, when he reaches Haran, he chooses to remain there. Perhaps Terah begins trading and doing well. At any rate, Abraham is seventy-five years old before God shakes up his world.
Abram is quite comfortable in Haran. Perhaps Abram has even given up the notion of traveling to Canaan; after all, what’s the point of breaking off friendships in Haran to endure the struggles of the road? What can Canaan possibly offer that Haran doesn’t already have? Besides, Abram is already seventy-five and has no sons to whom he can pass things on. No, far better to stay in Haran where it’s safe and comfortable. But something happens. God speaks to Abram. And what God orders shocks Abram, for God directs Abram to tear up roots, leave Haran, and head for Canaan.
How does Abram know that God is speaking to him? Does Abram hear an audible voice? Does God speak to Abram in a dream? Does some diviner come to Abram? We don’t know. All we do know is that Abram becomes firmly convinced that God wants him to leave for Canaan and that God promises to bless him, to curse his enemies, and to bless all the families of the earth through him.
“But,” you ask, perplexed, “the title of these studies is all about comfort. This story sounds anything but comforting!” True. One of the confusing paradoxes about God is that He frequently subjects us to difficulties before he rewards us. You see, God knows far more about our circumstances than we do. We want quick fixes, even if they’re temporary while God is interested in permanent solutions. Terah reaches Haran and stops. For Abram, Haran is his entire world, but God knows Abram has the faith to become the father of nations. So God begins nudging Abram. Suddenly living in Haran has lost its appeal. Familiar scenes hold no enchantment. Conversations with friends and neighbors seem meaningless. Abram is restless and can’t understand why. That’s when God speaks to him, ordering him to pull up stakes and get on the road.
You might read these verses and wonder if this kind of thing really happens. We can testify that it does. Even though God called me into missions when I was eleven, I went through college, medical school, and nine years of surgery training while He remained silent. By the fall of 1985, I had completed my training and had taken a temporary job in a chain of minor emergency clinics. I was earning a good living and we were comfortable….except that we were totally uncomfortable. No matter how pleasant things were, we were restless. Finally, our pastor preached a sermon about Jonah, in which he said that Jonah remained uncomfortable because he was not following God’s leading. The pastor concluded that each of us should look inside ourselves to see if God was trying to guide us and if we had overlooked any opportunities.
That very week, Bob had met a doctor friend who worked at a mission hospital in northern Nigeria. This man had supplied us with application forms for his mission. With nothing else to act on, we decided to complete those applications. As soon as we completed the forms, we felt relieved. Later when we interviewed with representatives of that mission, it became evident that our theological views did not match those of that particular mission. But the process was started, and within a year, we were to meet the mission that eventually sent us to Ghana for our first mission term.
Since that time, we have had other experiences of “holy discomfort.” We have learned that when these convictions have come, we simply need to ask God for guidance and He will direct us. What’s happening in your lives? Are you feeling what might be “holy discomfort?” Ask God to enlighten you. Trust Him, for He is a good Father who does not play guessing games.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, as we begin this new year, please help us to listen for Your still small voice. Open the eyes of our hearts, that we may see You and understand Your will for our lives. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
Burunche's Blog 
Leave a comment