“And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people that they had acquired in Haran, and they set out to go to the land of Canaan…” (Genesis 12:5, ESV)
There will be times when God wants you to start over, go back to square one, or redo something. You will feel it in your soul. Part of your life will feel not right, not work smoothly, or not honorable to God. The Holy Spirit will cause restlessness in that area. You may not be able to sleep when ruminating about this. If you find yourself stuck, broken, or just “off”, it may be God’s way of calling for a change. I have felt these unsettling feelings many times in my life. Have you?
The scripture for today from the book of Genesis concerns Abram’s leaving the land of Ur. Abram was highly successful while living in Ur. His wealth had increased greatly. His flocks had grown. His family was close. Everything was going his way. But something was off for Abram in the land of Ur. The people there did not believe in God. They worshipped many gods, the most common being the moon god, Nanna. In the temples to all these gods, there were committed many sinful practices. The people of Ur purchased idols for their homes and carried amulets to ward off evil spirits. There is no doubt that the idolatry and worship of other gods tarnished Abram’s view of his homeland. When God asked Abram to leave his homeland to go to a new place God had chosen, Abram was ready. Genesis 12:5 tells us that Abram took his wife, his brother’s son, packed up “all their possessions”, and set out for Canaan.
It is never easy to start over. I’m sure while Abram was packing up all his possessions, he wondered what God had planned. God had not shared exactly where Abram was to go. There was no GPS. There were no concrete plans. God simply told Abram to pack up and head west… toward Canaan. Would you be so bold as to pack up everything and go in the direction God wanted you to go when asked?
If you read through this scripture quickly without meditating on it, you might get the impression that Abram just got up one day and made a move to Canaan. That was NOT the case! Canaan was 600 miles from Ur. Abram had to walk with his family and servants all that way. They may have had pack animals to carry things or to ride, but that didn’t stop the hardship of the move. How would you like to move yourself and all your possessions on foot 600 miles today! With no GPS or good maps or a guide? Added to that was the fact that, Abram was in his 70’s when he made the move! So was his wife! Most people today in their 70’s wouldn’t think of walking 600 miles let alone moving everything by hand! Today’s scripture verse seems simple if you look at it from miles away. If you meditate on it more closely, the move involved tremendous effort, danger, faith in God, and courage on the part of Abram.
It is never easy to start over in life. But sometimes, that’s exactly what God will require of you. God may want you to leave a job that is not right for you to start a different job where you will be more blessed. God’s Spirit may cause you to start college, leave college, move to a new city, change majors, retire, change churches, go on a mission trip, start a new friendship, see a different doctor for a second opinion, start a new business, move your home, build a new church, take a more active role in your church, start a family, or take up a new hobby. Nobody can figure it out for you. You and God have to work out what HE is saying about where you need to go and what you need to do.
Months before every move from one church in my ministry to another, I got a familiar feeling that God wanted me to move to a new place for a new ministry. Those were sad times, yet exciting times. When I first got the feeling that God wanted me to leave, the thought of moving my whole family, leaving friends behind, changing our boys’ schools, packing up everything, moving where we had no support system, where there were no grandparents to watch the children….. if I would have thought about all the what-ifs I would have gone crazy. Instead, I trusted God’s leading hand. I prayed diligently for many hours. Laura, my wife, would pray as well. We’d search open churches, look for clues from God’s Spirit, and see which direction God wanted us to go. These were always scary times. But, with God’s direction, we knew we were in the best of hands.
I have worked with many people who had to leave someone or something behind and follow God’s leading. There were widows and widowers who were forced to start over when their spouse died. I personally helped many young men and women who left home to work in mission fields in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, the Caribbean and more. During counseling, I’ve helped couples start over after an affair. I’ve worked side by side with youth who left home for the first time to help serve on a mission trip. I’ve held many a hand of a person who received life-changing news at the hospital or who had to start over after being in rehab. My shoulders have felt the tears of many who had to move on after a fire, the loss of a friend, the death of a family pet, or the sudden loss of a job. Each time, I helped these friends to find out what God was doing and where God wanted them to be.
Is there an area of your life that remains unsettled, where God is wanting you to make changes? Does God need for you to start over in something, redo something, or give up something? It’s always difficult to make needed changes. But with God at your side, what is there to fear? Scripture even promises “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!” (Philippians 4:13). Also, “Do not fear, for I [the Lord] am with you!” (Isaiah 41:10).
A PRAYER FOR TODAY
Wonderful God in Christ, what is it that you need from me today? Is there something I have left undone? Is there a need that has yet to be met? My life is filled with choices. My world has many temptations. Help me to determine the best course of action to be faithful to You! Do not let me waste my life in the lustful pursuit of material possessions, money, wealth, and other temporary things. Keep me focused on Jesus Christ! Direct my steps. Shed light on the path I should take (Psalm 119:105).
When it is time, Lord, help me to let go of those things that are holding me back from full communion with you. May my values and choices reflect a commitment to You. Let Jesus be my standard!
When the time is right, show me when there needs to be changes. Prepare me for loss. Remind me of the truth. Show me the eternal value of steadfast faith in Jesus. Don’t let me become mired in sinful pursuits. It is all too easy to get caught up in materialism, with taking sides, in vengeance, in shortcuts that are not fruitful. Short-term thinking can ruin a lifetime of good choices.
I thank You for loving me, forgiving my sin, and watching over my steps. Where would I be without You? Today, I reaffirm my faith in You. I want to do what is right, even if it is scary, or difficult, or costly. I know I will be judged by how well I followed your leading and trusted Your hand. In Jesus, I have hope! Amen.
The scripture for today from the book of Genesis concerns Abram’s leaving the land of Ur. Abram was highly successful while living in Ur. His wealth had increased greatly. His flocks had grown. His family was close. Everything was going his way. But something was off for Abram in the land of Ur. The people there did not believe in God. They worshipped many gods, the most common being the moon god, Nanna. In the temples to all these gods, there were committed many sinful practices. The people of Ur purchased idols for their homes and carried amulets to ward off evil spirits. There is no doubt that the idolatry and worship of other gods tarnished Abram’s view of his homeland. When God asked Abram to leave his homeland to go to a new place God had chosen, Abram was ready. Genesis 12:5 tells us that Abram took his wife, his brother’s son, packed up “all their possessions”, and set out for Canaan.
It is never easy to start over. I’m sure while Abram was packing up all his possessions, he wondered what God had planned. God had not shared exactly where Abram was to go. There was no GPS. There were no concrete plans. God simply told Abram to pack up and head west… toward Canaan. Would you be so bold as to pack up everything and go in the direction God wanted you to go when asked?
If you read through this scripture quickly without meditating on it, you might get the impression that Abram just got up one day and made a move to Canaan. That was NOT the case! Canaan was 600 miles from Ur. Abram had to walk with his family and servants all that way. They may have had pack animals to carry things or to ride, but that didn’t stop the hardship of the move. How would you like to move yourself and all your possessions on foot 600 miles today! With no GPS or good maps or a guide? Added to that was the fact that, Abram was in his 70’s when he made the move! So was his wife! Most people today in their 70’s wouldn’t think of walking 600 miles let alone moving everything by hand! Today’s scripture verse seems simple if you look at it from miles away. If you meditate on it more closely, the move involved tremendous effort, danger, faith in God, and courage on the part of Abram.
It is never easy to start over in life. But sometimes, that’s exactly what God will require of you. God may want you to leave a job that is not right for you to start a different job where you will be more blessed. God’s Spirit may cause you to start college, leave college, move to a new city, change majors, retire, change churches, go on a mission trip, start a new friendship, see a different doctor for a second opinion, start a new business, move your home, build a new church, take a more active role in your church, start a family, or take up a new hobby. Nobody can figure it out for you. You and God have to work out what HE is saying about where you need to go and what you need to do.
Months before every move from one church in my ministry to another, I got a familiar feeling that God wanted me to move to a new place for a new ministry. Those were sad times, yet exciting times. When I first got the feeling that God wanted me to leave, the thought of moving my whole family, leaving friends behind, changing our boys’ schools, packing up everything, moving where we had no support system, where there were no grandparents to watch the children….. if I would have thought about all the what-ifs I would have gone crazy. Instead, I trusted God’s leading hand. I prayed diligently for many hours. Laura, my wife, would pray as well. We’d search open churches, look for clues from God’s Spirit, and see which direction God wanted us to go. These were always scary times. But, with God’s direction, we knew we were in the best of hands.
I have worked with many people who had to leave someone or something behind and follow God’s leading. There were widows and widowers who were forced to start over when their spouse died. I personally helped many young men and women who left home to work in mission fields in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, the Caribbean and more. During counseling, I’ve helped couples start over after an affair. I’ve worked side by side with youth who left home for the first time to help serve on a mission trip. I’ve held many a hand of a person who received life-changing news at the hospital or who had to start over after being in rehab. My shoulders have felt the tears of many who had to move on after a fire, the loss of a friend, the death of a family pet, or the sudden loss of a job. Each time, I helped these friends to find out what God was doing and where God wanted them to be.
Is there an area of your life that remains unsettled, where God is wanting you to make changes? Does God need for you to start over in something, redo something, or give up something? It’s always difficult to make needed changes. But with God at your side, what is there to fear? Scripture even promises “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!” (Philippians 4:13). Also, “Do not fear, for I [the Lord] am with you!” (Isaiah 41:10).
A PRAYER FOR TODAY
Wonderful God in Christ, what is it that you need from me today? Is there something I have left undone? Is there a need that has yet to be met? My life is filled with choices. My world has many temptations. Help me to determine the best course of action to be faithful to You! Do not let me waste my life in the lustful pursuit of material possessions, money, wealth, and other temporary things. Keep me focused on Jesus Christ! Direct my steps. Shed light on the path I should take (Psalm 119:105).
When it is time, Lord, help me to let go of those things that are holding me back from full communion with you. May my values and choices reflect a commitment to You. Let Jesus be my standard!
When the time is right, show me when there needs to be changes. Prepare me for loss. Remind me of the truth. Show me the eternal value of steadfast faith in Jesus. Don’t let me become mired in sinful pursuits. It is all too easy to get caught up in materialism, with taking sides, in vengeance, in shortcuts that are not fruitful. Short-term thinking can ruin a lifetime of good choices.
I thank You for loving me, forgiving my sin, and watching over my steps. Where would I be without You? Today, I reaffirm my faith in You. I want to do what is right, even if it is scary, or difficult, or costly. I know I will be judged by how well I followed your leading and trusted Your hand. In Jesus, I have hope! Amen.