An Original Planter - Abram

Reflecting on the calling of Abram (and so shall I call him until Scripture advises me to change his name), I marvel at how many parallels lie between he and a church planter.  He was the original "parachute planter" who wasn't just about to see God establish a local body, but a nation, and ultimately His own kingdom.  This is a massive work of God, no less a massive change of scenery for Abram to partake in this. 

As we open up Genesis 11, we begin to anticipate something being set up by the author.  After giving more genealogical lines of some more rather "obscure" characters, the list comes to an end with Terah, but not before it is developed a bit.  Further, we get a preview to Abram being "called out" as Terah takes his family and leaves for the land of Canaan.  It wasn't until they arrived in Haran that he was apparently content, for whatever reason, to stop there and settle there.  While unspoken it is fair to conclude God was at work in preparing Abram for this eventual move.  His heart and mind had to be anticipating it ever since the day he left Ur to go with Terah and the family, even to go to Canaan.  I believe we see the subtle unveiling of God's sovereignty in all this.  Nothing mentioned in this text of Terah's relationship with God.  It doesn't indicate anywhere that God spoke to him to call him to Canaan.  But we must ask - Where did this desire come from?  Something initiated it, or better said, Someone initiated this.  Of course the ensuing chapter give us clear indication that this was God's design. 

We'd do well to look at the patterns in our lives.  What has happened to move us, create desire in us, cause us to take some risk?  God has used so many things, at so many times, to prepare us, create a longing in us, for some drastic things.  And even though we may not be able to point to conclusive evidence that convinces everyone else this was "God's doing," stories like Abram's help us to see deeper into just how it is that God must be actively involved in all the many details even to prepare us for what He desires.   And so as we look at Abram, and find God in the story, we find our own lives in this story and find comfort knowing what God undertook, He fulfilled.  So be encouraged.