These six chapters of Genesis cover an extraordinary amount: the call of Abram, his journey to Canaan, his detour to Egypt, separation from Lot, covenant with God, the birth of Ishmael and the promise of Isaac. We’ve all enjoyed wonderful sermons that focus on a few choice verses from within these chapters, from which we derive so much understanding about God’s covenant purposes, for Israel and for all humankind. 

But it is also a real blessing to read them through in one go, enjoying the wide, sweeping story of God’s first ‘calling out’ of a people unto Himself, and the first overt promise of an eternal covenant of salvation for all.
And how does it begin? Rather unceremoniously: by God telling Abram to “get going” (Gen 12:1, TLV)!

So began a long journey that was full of battles, difficult choices and plenty of mistakes on Abram’s and Sarai’s part. But it was also guided by the Lord’s patient hand, leading them on toward the fulfilment of His purposes. What can we learn from their experiences?

Get going…one step at a time: Abram got used to obeying God even if he didn’t know the finer details of the plan. Often God only gave him the ‘next step’ – his challenge was to not run ahead of God (or away from Him), but to learn to ‘walk before Him’ (17:1).

Get going…but don’t forget to worship: Importantly, Abram made a habit of stopping regularly to seek the Lord; resting from his travels to focus on his priestly role of worshipping God and enquiring of Him. Abram’s altars were left as way-markers for the future: encouragements to ‘recalibrate’, get his bearings and remember his priorities.

Get going…and discover God’s character: The journey of Abram, Sarai and their household is marked by revelation after revelation about God’s character. Every event in their lives seemed an opportunity to experience the Lord in a new way: God Most High (El-Elyon). Shield. Very great reward. The Lord (Yhvh). The God who sees (El-Roi). God Almighty (El-Shaddai). How painstaking God was in carefully using the circumstances of life to teach them more of Himself.

Get going…but not in your own strength: Abram’s and Sarai’s attempt to fulfil God’s promise through their own fleshly efforts failed drastically; a lesson we must all learn. God bore patiently with their faithless laughter in the face of the mystery of His promise. Though their mistakes complicated matters and caused extra pain, He did not allow them to thwart His plans.

Get going…but wait! At 99, still-childless Abraham (now bearing an even greater promise) was still learning how to trust God entirely. Like us, Abraham had started with simple faith, entered into the Lord’s own blood covenant, and experienced the circumcision of his flesh, setting him apart to serve God (cf. Rom 4). But also like us, Abraham was still waiting for the son of promise – just as we await Messiah’s return, and the total fulfilment of God’s covenant purposes. 

Incongruously, the hardest part of Abraham’s journey, his ‘getting going’, was learning how to wait. To wait expectantly and wholeheartedly. To wait while moving in God’s service, always keeping his heart soft and dependent on the Lord. To wait fearlessly, joyfully, steadfastly, way past the end of worldly possibility, trusting that He who promised is faithful (Heb 10:23).

May we be inspired by Abraham’s example to ‘get going’ today with fresh faith in the unbreakable word of God – learning as we go to walk before Him, to worship, to know His character, to live in His strength, and to wait completely on Him.

“…being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.” (Rom 4:21) 

“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are 'Yes' in Christ. And so through him the 'Amen' is spoken by us to the glory of God.” (2 Cor 1:20)

“For the Lord Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?” (Isa 14:27)

Author: Frances Rabbitts