Abraham, A Pilgrim #Part 3

Hear Ye Him!

Chapter Two

Abram Decides

Then Abram sat upon the stone which he had been leaning on as he prayed, as his heart meditated deeply on the experience he had just gone through. He was changed; he couldn’t be the same Abram… something had stollen into his heart, and a strange feeling played within. He was reflecting deeply on what he had just heard – his heart’s inclination completely changed… an immortal impact left by that divine light… Quite a blessing too, it was!

(What if it were you, what could have been your feelings, thoughts, and contemplations that night? Hearing directly from heaven, God speaking to you. Do you know that God still speaks to men? Are you aware that He can speak to you too, today, commanding you to separate from all the world around you, to walk alone with Him? And if He does, are you willing to pay the price of walking with Him the Abram way?)

There it was… the answer to Abram’s prayers. Finally, he must leave that place, Ur. A city in which he was born and raised. He had only thought about it, now it was to be put in action. What a test!

Abram: (Reflecting deeply within himself.) God has spoken, He has spoken… No! I have not imagined anything… And He must be obeyed come what may. I will have to tell it, tell all, what Elohim has commanded me to do. I don’t know… they may think anything about it. Yes, this is what I have been desiring, and finally it is here. Think! My! There it is… Oh…

So, he stood and started off down the hill, towards his house, on the outskirts of Ur. Along the way he decided that he would pray about it, he would wait upon the Lord for the right time to break the news.

And as he was contemplating thus, he was surprised that a strange faint light had been shining upon the slopes of the hill, yet he had not noticed it, all along being absorbed away. By that light he had easily seen his trail down the hill. Looking into the sky above his head, he noticed the source of the strange light. It was a bright star hanging in the sky, lower than the cloud level. In that faint light, he walked till he arrived at his house, then the star suddenly vanished, and a blanket of darkness replaced the faint light.)

Abram: (Knocking…) It is I again, Honey. Sarah, are you awake?

Sarai: (With a sigh of relief) Who…? Are you the one, my lord? Welcome! My heart had started yearning for you, melting in fear… You had never stayed so deep into the night…with all the rowdy gangs nowadays…! Uh… well, El is our hope… (She swung the door open) Welcome! (They hugged) Is it well with you?

Abram: (He prays.) Oh Lord God of my fathers Shem, Salah, and Eber, thy name is great above all names, for thou art a God of gods. Thank you for bringing me back to this house again tonight, and for keeping my dear too. We are your servants. Do with us what pleases you, just for the glory and praise of your holy name. For all things are thine, and we also are thine. In your hands we commit our souls now and forever. Amen!

Sarah noticed the strangeness in his voice. She had never heard him pray with such a tone before. She thought, “Something must have happened. No wonder he has stayed too long on the hill. Might it be…” A thought struck her about their prayers concerning Ur… She remembered the light she had seen upon the hill… her heart quivered… “Am I ready to leave Ur?” she thought.

(What if you were in the place of Sarah that night, what could be your reactions? Abram returns late from his prayers; you had noticed some strange light upon the hill, above the very place where Abram normally prays. You both have been praying about leaving Ur once and for all. It seems like the answer has come. It looks all like that. How could you have felt? Yes, time comes when you must leave all and follow Jesus… have you done it?)

Sarai: (softly) Hey…my lord… did you see that light upon the hill?

Abram: (Purposely hiding his knowledge about it… surprised) What light was it dear?

Sarai: We were out here… I and my sister Milcah – a strange light descended from the sky, like a funnel, shining down, right at the top, where at times you pray from… Near the great stones. Oh, it was strange… Brightening and dimming… Were you at that stone today?

Abram: Strange indeed! Of course, God is light. This city is filled with such darkness – you almost feel it. She is not Ur at all! (Ur means light) So bad! I hate it! Got enough of it anyhow! The riot affair of worshipping the moon goddess; and their hateful ceremonies full of sensuality! – God can’t stand it much longer. About time God’s wrath to rain on her. He is the true light, not that wicked goddess! He is just and holy… Time has come for a showdown. It is ripe. Honey, it’s ripe; keep in prayer. It will never be the same again. We must act, we have to. We have no choice about it.

Sarai: (With anxiety) I believe it, my lord… though she calls herself by the name of light, that name is too expensive for her. She knows nothing about the meaning of light, for her works only spell darkness.

My lord, please what was it? what was that light upon the hill? Was it a divine presence of God?

Abram: (Still hiding his experience with God) I can’t tell… but one thing is true: God is light, the true shining light, the light of life, the light of righteousness, but not the city of Ur, neither the moon goddess! So wicked!

Then he switched away from that topic purposely to hide from leaking anything about his experience. He asked her about the servants herding cattle, whether they had sent in any report about how they had faired that week, and whether it was well with them in the fields beyond the Euphrates. She told him that they had not sent in any information. She brought supper which they ate together before retiring to bed.

ABRAM DISCLOSES THE SECRET

That week Abraham kept in prayer most of the time… for he had to get ready to announce the news, that he was leaving Ur for good.

Finally, after a week, he decided to break the news. First to his wife, Sarai. Then to his father, Terah. And lastly, to his brother, Nahor and Lot.

Abram: (Looking at Sarai’s face reflexively) Honey…

Sarai: Here am I, my lord.

Abram: Sit here… I have something to share with you before the day grows older.

Sarai: (She sits anxiously expecting some news… Good or bad…) Yes dear. I am available. It is a nice morning, isn’t it? blessed too, just after the recent showers… but…

Abram: (interrupts her.) Something strange has been happening. It has kept me in prayer through and through. I know you have been seeing me. You have an idea too.

Sarai: (With her face showing mixed reactions…softly replies) No. I don’t think I have any idea about.

Abram: (With a serious look on his face) Well, you have! You remember your testimony about that light on the hill near the two great rocks, last week…?

Sarai: Oh yes, I remember it! What is it, dear? Did you see it too?

Abram: Of course… Certainly! I was by that rock that evening. We have to start off from this place. God has spoken. We must leave this place right away. Get ready.

Sarai: Where to, my lord?

Abram: I don’t know… Where God will lead us. He knows.

Sarai: Did the Lord tell you that? Was he in that light? …Quite strange!

Abram: The Lord speaks, he answers prayer. Do you believe that?

Sarai: Yes, I do, with all my heart too.

Abram: Elohim has commanded me to leave this city, to separate myself from my kindred, to go to another country altogether, far off in the west. We must start preparing for the journey.

Sarai: Oh… Is it? Quite strange. Well, if God has spoken, we must obey, isn’t it?. He knows better. This city is worth leaving behind; we have to bid her goodbye, and that forever! Honestly, I would love to do it, in fact soonest.

Abram: Yes, he has commanded it. He was right there in that light with me, last week.

Sarai: Then you ought to tell our father…isn’t it?

Abram: That is where I am heading to, next. I have been waiting for the green light. It has shined, finally. I will see you later in the day…

Abram wakes up and starts for his father’s house. It was not far from their house, about two hundred feet strides away.

Terah: Shalom my son, welcome! How is it?

Abram: It is well, my father. Thank you. Peace be unto you.

Terah: Peace return to you, son. It is a bright morning… isn’t it?

Abram: Sure, it is, with the westerly winds blowing hard, the dry season has arrived early.

Terah: Sure, the harvest will challenge us, this time.

Abram: True. All point to it.

Terah: Last week Monday evening was strange… Have you heard about it?

Abram: About what?

Terah: My son, it is the talk of the town! How comes you have not heard it?

Abram: No, I don’t think I know anything about any strange episode.

Terah: The strange light on the hill Difficult, exactly where we sometimes pray from, hanging right above that place. It stayed there up to midnight. We were watching it, as it withdrew back to heaven, I suppose.

Abram: Well, that is strange.

Terah: Exactly! It was strange… did you see it?

Abram: Well… I… I was right there, that evening, praying till midnight.

Terah: You mean it, son? Did you see it?

Abram: God is light. His words are all light too. He speaks once, and confirms the same… and we should heed the call.

Terah: Strange…! What did He say? Hide it not from me…

Abram: It is strange, yes, but I must obey. Think! The very answer to our prayers. You remember our last fellowship…?

Terah: Yes… About how bad this place is…

Abram: Well… the answer has come.

Terah: What is it?

Abram: He told me to leave this city soonest; that I should tarry no longer.

Terah: Oh, praise the Lord who has remembered His servants and has sent His angel to instruct us the way we must go! Did He tell you where we should go?

Abram: “Where to” I know not… But leaving I must, and that forever. God speaks once; mine is to obey, and the rest rests on Him. To live by faith is righteousness; to walk by doubt is unrighteousness.

Terah: True, my son. I stand with you upon that ground. Then we ought to pray, pray… Pray till he tells us which way we must go. Or else, how do we set off? In which direction? You can’t just imagine it! See?

Abram: I can’t ask the second time. Once is enough. Twice is unbelieve. I hate such a label.

Terah: Why? You already asked?

Abram: Of course.

Terah: What did the Lord answer?

Abram: That I should walk by faith, and he will take care of the rest.

Terah: Uhm… Not easy, but God is dependable, that I know. What have you decided?

Abram: Decided? Nothing!

Terah: You mean you are not sure if you’re going to start off?

Abram: No! It is already decided. Elohim has done it. Mine is to obey and start off too.

Terah: Allow me sometime to also pray and consult…

Abram: Yes, you are free, but only for yourself. As for me, your son, the matter is settled. I must leave. The dice is cast. No way of retrieving. This place is worth forgetting, forever too.

Terah: Quite good of you, my son. I love that courage.

Abram: It is Him, not me. Elohim must be obeyed. It means righteousness and salvation, for you and for me. He is our rock, the only refuge for us, wherever we be.

Terah: Now, go tell your brother about it. He has just been here… But pray, pray, pray together. We need His hand to guide us.

Abram: Yes, he ought to pray, to establish it for himself. My side is settled. Obedience is the best sacrifice. I must leave, very soon.

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