The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, … and said to him, Get out of your country and from your relatives, and come to a land that I will show you.
Acts 7: 2.3
The forefathers of Abraham, the patriarch of Israel, served heathen gods. Abraham’s knowledge of the true God must therefore have been very poor. He is a typical person of our own day in this respect, as well as in another aspect. He lived in secure conditions in one of the most famous cities of antiquity. Recent excavations have given us an idea of the high standard of culture in the city of Ur.
Then, however, Abraham had a special experience with God that altered his life. But why should he exchange those pleasant conditions and his heathen surroundings for an uncertain nomadic existence? This raises the question for us today: why does God expect people to give up all bad connections? We must be clear of this: when God calls, we cannot continue as before, following our own ways and opinions. A calling is not just an honour, but also a radical matter.
Abraham obeyed: he ventured to go along a pathway with God. Let us ignore his futile intermediate stop on the way; he was just like us! Abraham would never have left his homeland without sufficient reason. God had attracted him when He allowed him to see His glory. That promised great blessing that exceeded earthly things. It meant joy and inner peace. Abraham has had many followers. A life with God even today brings true fulfilment.