Genesis 11:27–32n ‘They set out from Ur… to go to Canaan. But when they came to Harran, they settled there.’ (v31)
Here we read that Abram (later Abraham) and his family set out from their home in Ur, to go to live in the land of Canaan.
It is fascinating to note that Terah, Abram’s father, was heading in the very direction that God would call his son to journey – with a rich promise that the land has been given to Abram’s descendants (Gen. 12:5–7).
I wonder what would have happened if Terah had not stopped in Harran? Would he have been the one to hear God’s call and blessing? Had he already been prompted by God prior to setting out, and we just don’t know about it?
Whatever the truth is, Terah ‘settles’. He doesn’t reach his chosen destination, and eventually dies in the place where he has decided to end his journey (v32).
How easy it is to ‘settle’! Things are going well, and we are comfortable. We might sometimes remember a call that God has placed upon us, but it seems too difficult now; we started off full of excitement and vigour, but we reached this destination and we’re pretty happy to just… stop.
We’re treading water, but it’s fine. After all, things are quite ‘nice’ here, aren’t they? Well, it is one thing to be content (Phil. 4:11) but quite another to opt out of the full calling God has put on our lives.
We may push aside doubts, feelings that we haven’t quite accomplished all that God had planned for us, but settling seems ‘good enough’. When we read of Abram’s call and life, we can see the blessing there. Who knows what Terah missed out on, by settling?
A Prayer To Make:
‘Lord, I want to walk in the fullness of Your calling and destiny. Help me not to take the easy route, or to settle, but to follow You more closely. Amen.’
An Action To Take:
Where are you ‘settling’ in your life? Is there more that God has called you to, but you have ‘stopped’? What can you do today to make plans to stop ‘settling’?
Scripture To Consider:
Gen. 25:19–34; 1 Sam. 13:1–14; Matt. 21:28–32; Heb. 10:32–39
