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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. 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 the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ 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 his wife Sarai and his brother’s son Lot, and all the possessions that they had gathered, and the persons whom they had acquired in Haran; and they set forth to go to the land of Canaan. When they had come to the land of Canaan. (Genesis 12: 1-5)
Happy Friday, dear Friend! May this week have been a week of blessings and joys, and may the blessings continue into the weekend for you and yours; this is my prayer, amen.
I remember learning the physical song, "Father Abraham, " well into my ministry. It is a fun song and teaches about the father of the faith, Father Abraham. As we sang it with the motions that have become more difficult to do through the years, we also added appropriate lines to it. It begins with "Father Abraham had many sons." And we added, "And daughters, too!" which was shouted loudly, and continues, "Many sons had Father Abraham. I am one of them. And so are you, as we go marching on, right arm (Here begin the motions and one moves his/her right arm vigorously as the song goes into the left arm, right leg, left leg, move your head, turn around, and sit down!). It's now more a precious memory than a desired song. But I don't hear it sung very much lately. Yes, I know, perhaps I should lead it.
And I think it's a bit ironic that as I near the age of 75, my desire to move my arms and legs and head and turn around is not what it once was. I'm thankful I can still do it, and I do my daily exercises so that when I do turn 75 if the Lord hasn't called me home yet, I do want to sing that song and others in praise to God! (Lord, hear my prayer and those reading this who also desire that! Amen!) But the truth is, Abram is the father of the faith not because he sang this song; he probably would have been deeply hurt when this passage occurred to sing this song, for he and Sarai had yet to have any children. And at age 75 they pretty much had given up hope for any. But that is why he is the father of the faith, because he believed and he obeyed. And Sarai too! The call came from God to Abram with a difficult request, "Leave your country, your family, and your family home to a strong land that I will show you and give to you." Where would you have said, "Not so fast, Lord!"? There are many countries that I would welcome the chance in which to reside. I have visited and felt strangely at home in Spain, and Mexico. I have loved visiting England and would love to live there (if I could afford it, since London would be my city of choice and that's one of the most expensive cities in the world!); and I have desires to visit many other countries (My tour to Greece still has room! Email me for details!). But how many of you would leave the United States of America? The second part is as difficult a thing to ask; how many would leave your family? And harder still, how many of you would leave the family home? I have lived in places, like the Rio Grande Valley, where most people are so content there, a move anywhere outside of the Valley is unthinkable. And the same is true for almost all parts of Texas. We as outsiders may not understand why West Texas people would not leave their towns for other places. But Abram and Sarai said yes. Their yes would come with a blessing, for God said they would become a great nation and their name would be known by all people; and off they went. I have shared how as a district superintendent my first call to a pastor to request his move away from his church made we weep after I hung up, for I had been there and I knew the difficulty it is to explain the move to spouse, and harder yet for his children; then to find or buy boxes, make moving company arrangements, packing, unpacking. Very difficult. Imagine a move in Abram and Sarai's day.
We learn from this story the importance of listening, responding and obeying whatever it is God may ask of us. We may not have to move far, but we may be asked to walk across the room, which for some is very uncomfortable, even impossible. We may be asked to give up our pew on Sunday because a new family has come in and helped themselves to OUR PEW! Whatever it is that God asks, the best answer is yes, Lord. And we should also follow it with, "I trust You, Lord, and I will obey." This may or may not make your name great, but it will bless you and those around you. A great journey and adventure begins with our first step in a direction we may not have traveled before.
PRAYER: LOVING Father, for those who have blessed us by having said yes to You, we give you thanks. For moves our parents and grandparents may have made to bless us, again, we thank You. For our pastors and their families who have moved to be with us, we thank You and ask Your blessings upon them; theirs is a difficult calling. And for any moves or changes that You may be asking of us, help us to trust You enough to say yes. It is in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Move your right or left arm in praise and service today; reach out to bless someone - heck, sing the song out loud in the post office! (I'll come see you in jail!)
Eradio Valverde
