“By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed and went out to a place he was going to receive as an inheritance; he went out, not knowing where he was going.” Hebrews 11:8
Welcome back to the Hebrews 11 Hall of Faith. I am happy to continue being your docent as we tour this much-visited museum. The Introduction laid the foundation of faith as an impetus for action, while the first exhibit room focused on Noah and his faith to do the unprecedented, challenging us to be willing to step out of our comfort zone. Our next exhibit room has a similar focus.
Abram (later renamed Abraham) is commended twice in Hebrews 11, initially for his response to this directive.
“The LORD had said to Abram, ‘Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.’” Genesis 12:1
The casual reader may fail to appreciate the magnitude of this call. Relocations happen often in our society, but they are usually premised on a known destination. God gave Abram no such clarity except from whom Abram was to go – his kin and father’s family. The call was essentially “leave the place you know and family you love and go to an undisclosed land of strangers.”
Abram would have to overcome emotional and relational objections to this directive, but would also have to contend with difficult logistics. Abram was not only married, but he also had a large number of servants and livestock. He couldn’t simply throw few belongings into a duffle bag and head out. No. Abram would have to relocate his entire enterprise, which by all accounts was thriving.
God spoke a rather daunting directive to Abram. The objections, challenges, and unanswered questions were numerous. Yet…
“So Abram went, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran. He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Harran, and they set out for the land of Canaan…” Genesis 12:4-5
Abram’s actions of faith show two key qualities. First, his obedience was prompt. The clear implication from this passage is that “Abram went” immediately. Hebrews 11:8, quoted above, commends the implied the immediacy of Abram’s faith actions.
Furthermore, Abram’s obedience was complete. He did not send a scout team first, or leave some in Haran in case things did not work out, or otherwise attempt to hedge his bets and minimize risks. He and all that belonged to him went “as the Lord had told him”.
What if God called you to relocate or, more generally, gave a directive that raised in your mind worry and unanswered questions? By our nature and legal training, we lawyers are generally analytical and seek as much data, evidence, and clarity as possible. Often God obliges that preference, but not always. When His directives seem lacking in details, do we experience the paralysis of analysis, or do we immediately and completely obey, trusting that the details will come or are not necessary.
If our professed Christian faith is authentic, we will likely be given opportunity to demonstrate it by our response to situations like Abram encountered. May our faith actions be similarly commendable.
