Have you moved or relocated in the past ten years? How about in the past five years? Demographics show that Americans are on the move in recent years. The mean average for staying in one place is now 5.2 years. Perhaps some people are looking for an upgrade, some may be just restless, some may be transferred by business or company, some may just want a change of scenery. 

The story of Abraham is the story of a man on the move. In Genesis 12:1, God says to Abraham, “Leave your country, your family, and your father’s home for a land that I will show you.” And Abraham moved. It was a major upheaval for him. Probably only about 500 miles. That would be a major undertaking 5000 years ago. Today it might be just one hard long day. Abraham took his family, his extended family, his livestock and his possessions and he moved out. 

His father had moved his family once when he was a child. They moved from the city of Ur (which is in present day Iraq) to the city of Haran (which is now located in Turkey). They settled in Haran. That is where Abraham grew up and established himself. Then when Abraham was 75 years old – just when he was enjoying his AARP discounts his social security and his retirement -  God sends him packing for a major relocation. 

Abraham is the father and forebear of three great world religions. He is honored and revered by Christians, by Jews, and by Islam. His story is our story and their story. Abraham is one towering figure in religious history. He is considered by many to be the first mono-theist- the first one to believe in one God.  

Why did god choose Abraham to start the new people? Some people say it wasn’t God, that it was only Abraham’s mid-life crisis! (although, I think 75 years of age is a bit late for a mid-life crisis). Some say that all people of Abraham’s day were nomads, so his move was no big deal. But somehow this story is different. Abraham is different. There is a reason why this story has been passed down for centuries. First by oral tradition and then in written history. 

A SENSE OF THE PRESENCE OF GOD 

First of all, Abraham had a real sense of the presence of God. Several times in the story we read that he built an altar and he prayed. 

A Sunday school teacher was quizzing her class. She said to the children, “Why do you love God?” There was a moment of silence and then one little boy raised his hand and said, “I guess it just runs in the family.” 

Abraham began a new family of faithful people. Abraham lived life deeply. He was God-connected. He had an usually strong sense of the Presence of God. He was unusually wired! I sometimes suggest that a few members of the intercessory Prayer Team have a greater connectivity to God then the rest of us. They are not better, they are just wired differently. Abraham had a greater connectivity. He was linked to his God. 

Abraham did not know where it was he was going. God simply said, “I will lead you to a land that I will show you.” But Abraham had a compelling, overwhelming call. 

Years ago, I went with a youth group on a white water rafting trip. It was a chilly, early fall day. There were about 30 rafts. I was in one with three sixteen-year-old girls. Down the river we paddled, working furiously to stay clear of the rocks, bumping into some of the rocks, getting stuck and unstuck in the rapids for four solid hours and it was all done in the pouring down rain. At several points I asked myself the question almost aloud, “Why am I doing this?” 

Abraham did not ask that question. He was not perfect! He was not what you might call a saint! But, he had strong convictions. God got Abraham’s attention. 

For too many of us God has not gotten our attention. We therefore lack some of the great convictions of life. My covenant discipleship group has as its first item in our covenant, “I will celebrate God as the central focus of my life.”

That is the way Abraham lived. That is the way you and I are called to live.  

Dom Helder Camara, the late Bishop of Brazil once wrote “The noise that prevents us from hearing the voice of God is not, is truly not, the clamor of man, the racket of cities, still less the stirring of the wind or the whispering of water. The noise that completely smothers the voice of God is the inner uproar…of unsleeping ambition.” 

We may be so busy trying to get ahead, that we do not hear. 

I remember a movie from years ago starring Jack Lemmon. Lemmon played a comedian, a master of “One Liners”. His comedy style had alienated his family; but his friends loved it. The movie opens with him going into a hospital for tests. He learns he has a terminal blood disease – a strange form of cancer. He spends 1-2 days wrestling with the conflict between his comedic life style and the news he has been given. 

In one poignant scene, his estranged wife asks, “What suggestions did the doctor make?” He answers, “For one thing, the doctor told me to get religion.” Then after a brief pause he says to her, “I guess God never really got much of my attention.” 

Is that not the real vulnerability of our lives? God does not get much of our attention. Therefore we lack the great convictions of life! 

God got Abraham’s attention. Abraham received some major convictions. Abraham had a clear sense of the presence of God. That is our discipleship challenge today. 

TRUSTING GOD FOR DIRECTION 

Secondly, Abraham trusted God for direction. Two New Yorkers were driving through Louisiana. They approached the town of Natchitoches. They argued about how to pronounce the name. They argued back and forth until they stopped for lunch. 

As they stood at the lunch counter, one of the men asked the manager. “Before we order, could you please settle an argument for us? Would you please pronounce where we are…very slowly.” 

The manager leaned forward and smiled and said, “Bur-r-g-g-e-e-r K-in-g-g-g.” 

Abraham did not ask God where he was. He did not ask how to pronounce the name. He simply trusted and went. A Clergy colleague writes: “In Genesis, Abraham is minding his own business in Haran when God comes to him one day and says, ‘Start walking.’ And if Abraham wants to know where and why, God’s answer is essentially, ‘I’ll show you when you get there.’ Abraham becomes the father of the faithful because he is willing to walk with God even when he has no idea where he is going.” 

I was ordained an elder and appointed for the first time a little over 42 years ago. I had no idea where I was going, but I believed God was calling and I still believe that today.  

I was appointed by our Bishop to Christ Church 26 years ago. I had no idea what that meant. But I believed God was calling. 

Abrahams is revered because of his dramatic response. It did not matter that he was 75 years old. It did not matter that all his earthly goods were in a secure place. It did not matter that he was comfortable and content. If this God was real – and Abraham was convinced that God was real – he obeyed. 

There was some interesting TV programming preceding the 1988 Winter Olympics. Some blind skiers were being trained for the slalom. They were paired with sighted skiers. They were taught how and when to make left turns and right turns. When they had mastered those turns they were taken to the slalom slopes. Sighted skiers beside them skied all the way down shouting “Left!” or “Right”. The blind skiers obeyed and were able to negotiate the course. They crossed the finish line. For them it was either complete trust or catastrophe. 

Abraham was not blind, but he had complete trust.  

I saw a t-shirt somewhere that read: “I chose the road less traveled. Now where the heck am I?” Abraham chose the road less traveled. He trusted God to know where he was and where he was headed. Abraham thus becomes a mentor for the faith journey. Live in the constant awareness of God. Trust God at every step. And keep moving. 

KEEP MOVING 

That reminds me of the next thing in the story, Abraham kept moving. Remember the story of the MIT alumnus who approached then President Emeritus, Jerome Wiesner. The alumnus said, “Do you remember me? You shook my hand at graduation and said something that became the secret of my successful career.” 

Wiesner replied, “Well, my goodness what did I say?” 

The alumnus said, “Keep moving. Keep moving.” 

The only real choice a follower of Jesus has is to keep moving. You keep growing. Growth is your only real option. You cannot follow Jesus without moving. And you cannot move without leaving something behind. 

God said to Abraham, “Go into unknown regions for incomprehensible purposes. I will go with you. I will show you the way, I will make something of you.” 

LIVING IN A DIFFERENT TIME ZONE 

Finally I have to say that Abraham seemed to live in a different time zone. Right now we are in Eastern Daylight Savings Time.

Abraham lived by Divine Standard Time. 

Let me illustrate it this way. If I call for a question about my computer at 2 p.m. tomorrow afternoon, I will probably get a technician in Bangkok where it is 1 am the next day. I am talking to the service technician in my tomorrow and he is talking to me in his yesterday. Think about it. It is very strange 

The story of Abraham says: God’s time and God’s timing are different. When you understand that, life takes on a whole new dimension. 

John Baillie has a fascinating prayer in one of his books that goes something like this: “O Eternal God… grant me this day a clear conviction of your reality and power. Let me not go forth into this day believing only in the world of sense and time, but give me grace to understand that the world I cannot see or touch is the most real world of all.” I really like and appreciate that prayer. Abraham could have prayed that prayer. 

Abraham had strong sense of God. And he had a strong sense that God’s timing was different from his. He knows that neither the city of Ur, the city of Haran, nor the land of Canaan are his final home. He knew he lived in a much larger universe than he could touch or see. So do you and so do I. 

Abraham’s soul had been invaded by God. Let your soul be invaded by God. Abraham was attentive and responsive. I invite you to attentive and responsive. Abraham found new adventures, new opportunities, new happiness and new possibilities in his obedience. You also will find new adventures, new opportunities, new happiness and new possibilities in your obedience. Simply put, let ancient Father Abraham become a mentor for today’s faith journey.