Abraham, a pilgrim #2

Continuation of Chapter One

God Appears To Abram

All: Till we meet, till we meet,
Till we meet at Jehovah’s feet...
Till we meet, till we meet,
El be with you till we meet again...

They started parting, after the evening fellowship; of course Lot’s wife first, for she must hurry home because she had not been there since morning, for she ran some shop in town; then Lot followed on. Nahor, his wife and Sarai left together, talking about it still, making remarks. Abram was last after he had passed a few words with his father, for he was a beloved son.

(What if you were present in that fellowship as a member of Terah’s family, what could have been your take? Which Character suits you? Abram, Sarai, Milcah, Nahor, Lot, Iscah or Norah?  What could be your view of the world of Ur? What could be your reaction about Abram’s stand as concerned the city of Ur? Could you have taken a stand with him, ready to part with all your friends and relations that were in Ur? Leaving behind all your flourishing businesses too…? If you could have done so, then you should do the same today. For the Gospel of Jesus commands you to separate from all the world around you, and to take up your cross and follow him daily. What if God has called you today to separate from all you love, and from your comfortable surrounding to His service in some wild place, to serve in the ‘message of the hour’, have you readily taken up that cross?

Luk_9:23  And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.)

Well, one afternoon, almost a month thereafter, Abram decided to act decisively, he climbed the hill Difficult, south-west of the city – to pray – slightly earlier than he usually did. He followed the trail, a deer’s trail, till he struck the top of the hill. There, between two great stones, he kneeled. He prayed; he poured his heart – all the fragrance of his broken heart flowed heavenward, as a stream of vapour from a hot water spring. On and on, his heart melted and vaporised. It was all about Ur….

The beams of the sun began to sink beyond Sunset hills, he was still praying. The evening red lights faded away, and dusk took over, yet he was still praying. A vent of prayer had erupted within his heart. He wasn’t going to stop, it looked like. And finally, finally, there it happened!

A light flashed all around where he was kneeling. It was quite bright, so much that through his closed eyes he sensed it, so he opened his eyes. Surprised, he lifts his eyes to look all around; he sees nothing, but the bright light. He was trembling… all over. A deep voice calls him, from the apex of the light.

Elohim: Abram, Abram…

Abram: (Gripped with fear, awed, trembling.) Here-er a-a-am I, Lo-o-ord.

Elohim: (With a firm, deep voice) Your prayers have reached my ears; your cry has come to me, how you are distressed with the abominations of the Chaldeans, the idolatrous acts that have filled the land. Therefore, I have appeared unto you for this purpose, to take you out from among these people, and to separate you from your father’s house to a land I have prepared for you, for I have ordained you for a special purpose. Yes, I have held you by my arm until I finish all that I have purposed.

Arise, therefore, and start to the place that I will show you. There, I will meet with you, and there, you will serve me, and your offerings will I accept. But from this place, I will not, for it is a polluted land; polluted with the abominations of idolatry.

Arise and be gone; I will be with you in the way that you will go and will protect you from all your enemies. Arise, I say and be gone!

Wherever you pass, in the way that I will lead you, take heed, the most earnest heed, to the truth that I have shined in your heart. Keep it burning. Meddle not with any of the people along the way, for all peoples upon the face of the earth have corrupted their ways. You only have I seen in this generation because thou hast prepared thy heart to seek after my name, diligently; so, will I reveal it to you.

Have I not called you? I even I, I am the God of Noah, the God of Shem and the God of Eber, thy fathers. Arise, separate yourself from this evil generation, and I will bless you.

Then Abraham answered with a voice full of mixed emotions – joy mixed with awe and confusion; for on one hand, God had finally spoken, because it had been his desire, for a long time, to hear from Him. Yet on the other hand, the commandment for him to start off, not knowing where to, melted his heart in a mixture of fear and anxiety. So, he answered…

Abram: Oh, my Lord, how shall I know the way to that country? Which way shall I go, for I know not the place?

Elohim: (Still with a firm voice.) Certainly! I will be with you in the way that thou shall go, and I will bring you to that land that I have prepared for you. Fear not, neither be dismayed. I am the Lord!

Abram: (Still anxious) Whom shall I go with? My father? My brothers?

Elohim: (A voice full of caution.) Be aware whom you take with you lest he be a snare to you and your seed in the land that I have prepared for you. He that truly believes my word, let him accompany you. He who staggers at my word, reject!

Abram: (Still wondering.) But Lord, how will I know the man who believes your word and he who doesn’t?

Elohim: The word in your mouth is my word. Speak it plainly. Put it clear to them – against all the abominations of the land, against the idolatrous behaviours, against all idols. Whoever separates from all that, and in faith stands with you, let him go with you. Protest against every man that assays to go with you; I will set my face against every man who commits whoredom with idols. I will cut off his name from the earth. I am the Lord!

Abram: Here am I, your servant. Let it be unto me according to thy word. I am willing, only willing. Oh, help me Lord! Let me find grace in thy sight; in all places that I shall be, stand with me. Protect me, oh Lord! Be with me, and stand for me, for men are cruel, I fear them.

Elohim: (As the light of his presence withdrew away slowly till it was dark again) I will be with you, fear not. I am the Lord!

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