Who does not love comfort and convenience? For instance, we love an established career, a harmonious family, an established ministry, a comfortable life in a secure and stable country, and the good company of close friends. It must be hard when we have to leave behind all of these, especially to face an unknown situation in an unknown destination.
God ordered Abram to leave his homeland. We should not underestimate the impact of this on Abram, as he would have to leave behind everything he knew, a home where there was prosperity (Gen. 12:1, 4-5), and go to an unknown land where he would have to absolutely trust in the providence of the Lord, but not his own plans or family ties (Heb. 11:8-10).
Often, our life as a believer demands that we act beyond our understanding, leave behind what is visible for what is not, and be willing to experience sufferings in the hope of receiving the glory that is still just a hope. However, we are grateful that the God whom we worship always keeps and fulfils His promises. There is nothing we can do that is better than doing our part in accordance with His will. In so doing, we rely on Him, and our heart is focused on Him. We should not let the leaving behind of security, comfort and convenience deter us from doing our part in the fulfilment of God’s good and perfect plan. In this regard, Abram did extremely well.
As Corrie Ten Boom says, we must “never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God”. Abram did just that. Later, he received a new name, Abraham, which means ‘father of many’, and he fathered many whom the Messiah would bring blessings to (Gal. 3:15–29).