LEAVING HARAN

Genesis 12:1-4 (MSG), God told Abram: “Leave your country, your family, and your father’s home for a land that I will show you. 2 I’ll make you a great nation and bless you. I’ll make you famous; you’ll be a blessing. 3 I’ll bless those who bless you; those who curse you I’ll curse. All the families of the Earth will be blessed through you.”
4 So Abram left just as God said, and Lot left with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran.


Terah, Abram’s Dad, left Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. For some reason, he “settled” in Haran and died before ever reaching his destination.

We’re not certain how old Abram was when he left Ur with his Dad to move to Canaan. He was at least old enough to be married to Sarai. Old enough to have a family, run a business, build personal wealth.

Then all of a sudden one day – probably an ordinary, run of the mill kind of day – God speaks to Abram, “Leave it all… Leave everything… Everything you know and love… Your country… Your family… Leave it all… Dream big… Go to the land I will show you… I’m going to bless you… I’ll make you a great nation… I’ll bless others because of you…”

While we don’t know how old Abram was when he and his Dad packed their bags and left Ur, we do know how old he was when God re-ignites the dream that had probably originally been given to Terah. He was 75 years old. He was wealthy… He was successful… He was settled… By the AARP’s standard, this guy was a Senior Citizen.

But instead of going for the condo in South Florida, clipping coupons while sipping on a strawberry daiquiri by the pool, amazingly, we read these words in Genesis 12:4, “So Abram left just as God said…”

Wow! No arguments… No, “But God, I’m really comfortable…” No, “But, God I just cashed in the 401k…” No, “But God, do you know what this kind of move at this stage in my life is going to cost me…” None of that!

“Abram left…”

Why? Why was his obedience so immediate? Why was he so ready to say “Yes!” to God? Maybe he knew up close and personal what could happen to a dream when you choose to “settle” in Haran. Maybe he saw what happened in the heart of his Dad, who ended up dying before ever reaching Canaan.

One of my favorite songs on U2’s CD, “All That You Can’t Leave Behind” is a song called, “Stuck In A Moment.” Check out the lyrics of the chorus:

“You’ve got to get yourself together
You’ve got stuck in a moment
And now you can’t get out of it
Don’t say that later will be better
Now you’re stuck in a moment
And you can’t get out of it.” ~ Bono and U2

Procrastination has a way of cheating us out of the dream God has planted in us… Procrastination constantly whispers and screams, “Tomorrow… Tomorrow… Next week… Maybe next year… Get this in order… Make sure that base is covered… Then, you can pursue the dream…”

Before you know it, you end up like Terah: DEAD IN HARAN.

Why not choose to live like Abram? God speaks, “Leave… Leave it all…” “So, Abram left…”

Mark Batterson has written an amazing little book with a strange title, "In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day." Here is the Lion Chaser's Manifesto. I love it and want to LIVE IT.

Quit living as if the purpose of life is to arrive safely at death. Set God-sized goals. Pursue God-ordained passions. Go after a dream that is destined to fail without divine intervention. Keep asking questions. Keep making mistakes. Keep seeking God. Stop pointing out problems and become part of the solution. Stop repeating the past and start creating the future. Stop playing it safe and start taking risks. Expand your horizons. Accumulate experiences. Enjoy the journey. Find every excuse you can to celebrate everything you can. Live like today is the first day and last day of your life. Don't let what's wrong with you keep you from worshiping what's right with God. Burn sinful bridges. Blaze new trails. Criticize by creating. Worry less about what people think and more about what God thinks. Don't try to be who you're not. Be yourself. Laugh at yourself. Quit holding out. Quit holding back. Quit running away.

Chase the lion.


My Prayer
“Father, I don’t want to settle in Haran… I don’t want to get stuck… When your voice speaks, give me the guts, courage, will and tenacity, to just do what you’re asking me to do… No questions, arguments or stalling… Just obedience… Here I am… I am yours… Amen.”


Worth Checking Out: Stuck In A Moment, U2 from the CD, All That You Can’t Leave Behind

"In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day" by Mark Batterson