Father Abraham

There are so many stories that we have that revolve around Abram (or later known as Abraham) I will try and write my thoughts on as many of these as I can over the next few days as I have a few days "off".  The first story that I came to after Job was the story of Abraham moving to Canaan. 

Abraham goes with his father to a new area. In this place he marries Sarai. We also meet the nephew Lot in this new land of Haran. Then Abrams father dies. It is then that Abram moves to a new land at God's direction. Interestingly enough the land that they were actually going to at this time was not Haran but Canaan. The settled in Haran. The text does not say why. We could speculate that the trip was too difficult for Abram's father Terah. We could also guess that maybe it was because they ran out of money or thought the land there was well worth it. Almost reminds me of the many apartments that when you are driving you see have a sign out reading "If you lived here you would be home by now." Maybe they just wanted to be home by now. 

After his father dies he continues to Canaan. This lends a lot to the theory that it was his father's decision to settle there. Once that barrier is gone then the journey can continue. On the way God shows Abram where he will be given land. Unfortunately they can not stop there because there is too much famine. Again Abram must wait. He heads to Egypt to live a while. It is here that Abram pretends Sarai is his sister and gets the Pharaoh in trouble with God. 

The thing that I notice here is the theme of waiting. Just like Moses the land was not freely given. There was a journey to get there. In that journey we may see the goal and be taken elsewhere along the way. That is usually when we get the most frustrated. We know where it is to end. We can taste it. Instead we are taken on a long journey elsewhere in the mean time. 

On my own journey I have seen this. I have seen what it is I am to do, become, or live out for God. Although many times I have to wait. There are two examples in my life that stick out at me right now. The first is college. I knew what college I was to go to. God made that very clear for me. When I got there I had some fun, but I did not grow the way I thought I would. After 2 years I considered transferring because this was not the promise that I had when I started. I had seen my glimpse and now I was journeying to "Egypt". In my third year I finally started to realize the purpose of my being there. I started to grow in the ways that I had always felt I would at APU. In the 4th year I was rewarded with great friends and life changing classes. 

The other example I have is being in youth ministry. My first actual job in youth ministry was an amazing one. I was supported at Faith UMC and grew so much as their intern. I was challenged and knew this is what I was supposed to do. I then went on to several other jobs at a baptist church, Faith UMC again, and Mary Queen of Peace. These places where my "Egypt" or wandering through the desert. I needed to grow more, struggle, and stop trying to do things myself. Now I am at a church where I feel I have put those things together and God is rewarding me. 

The journey of Lent is almost over. We all might have had our plans changed over this time. We all might have gone to Egypt. Stay faithful and God will bring you back to where he showed you at the beginning.