In Hebrews 13:14 we read, “For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the one that is to come.” This, of course, is echoing Hebrews 11:10, “For he (Abraham) was waiting for the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.”

In the Torah portion of Lech Lecha this week, the Lord calls to Abraham saying:

וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-אַבְרָם, לֶךְ-לְךָ מֵאַרְצְךָ וּמִמּוֹלַדְתְּךָ וּמִבֵּית אָבִיךָ, אֶל-הָאָרֶץ, אֲשֶׁר אַרְאֶךָּ.

“And the Lord said to Avram, ‘Go to you, from your land, from your extended family, from the house of your father; to the land that I will show you.’”

The Lord calls to Abraham, “Go to you — with Me.” In other words, you can only know who you are when you travel the way with Me. The Torah gives us an amazing clue to the Lord’s intention to transform, not only Abraham’s life, but also ours. When we read Genesis 12:1, the word order is unusual to begin either a physical or spiritual journey, as the order is:

1. Land.

2. Relatives

3. Father’s House.

From our perspective, it may seem more logical in this order:

1. Father’s House.

2. Relatives.

3. Land.

As you are exiting your current location, the natural order would be to depart the house of your youth, whereby you also leave behind your relatives as you depart the land. However, the Lord is explaining to us that the influence of our earthly father’s house leaves a lasting impact on us, which is often very difficult to detach from.

While many of us have wonderful father’s, many others have not shared the same experience. The subject of this devotional is father’s, good or bad, per se, but the division that following the Lord often brings, even with the most loving family.

In Genesis 11:31, we read, “Terah took Avram his son and Lot, Haran’s son, his grandson, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Avram’s wife, and he took them out of Ur of the Chaldeans to the land of Canaan. But when they came to Haran they settled there.”

Abraham’s journey to Canaan, the Promises Land, actually began with his father Terach; but Terach’s journey ended in Haran. The rabbis have wondered about this, why could Terach not finish the journey?

Terach was perhaps looking for business opportunities in Canaan, which would have caused Abraham to be labeled, not as a monotheist by the inhabitants of Canaan, but as a polytheist just as they were. With this identity, there would be nothing different about Abraham. Abraham’s journey to and arriving in could not be influenced by his father’s house – he needed to trust in a new Father – the covenant Lord.

See, the Lord was saying to Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3, “You are cutting ties with all you have depended on – father, cousins, and familiar places – to travel to a place that I will show you, so that I will be the source of your blessing there, and you will be a blessing to all the families of the earth.” This promise was given after Abraham sees the scattering of the nations far and wide.

The most difficult place for Abraham to leave behind was his father’s house; as the memory/influence of Terach would travel with him. Abraham needed to cut the connection between who he had been and was influenced to be, and who the Lord called him to become: a father of nations.

Abraham would be the new beginning of generation promise and influence.

The apostle Paul writes: “And if you are Messiah’s, then you are Abraham’s seed/offspring, heirs according to promise” (Gal. 3:29).

In a dramatic way is helping those coming to faith in Messiah walk out to themselves, just as Abraham was called, to a new life and people previously unknown: away from the security and safety that we have previously known. As I wrote above, the Lord called to Abraham, “Go to you — with Me.”

Abraham, and in faith those in Messiah, go out to a new protection, a new inheritance, a new people, a new Savior and Friend, and a new Father. We leave behind who we were, in order to be who He has called us to be in Him. But, we must “go out to you.” Leave behind the old, destructive influences, and walk into a new identity, where others will say of you, as they said of Abraham: “Hear us, you are a prince of God” (Gen. 23:6). Why? Because the Lord will go before you, and He will be with you.

Be encouraged, when the Lord calls you, He always calls you out of where you have been, as He leads you to where you will be: “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also” (Jn. 14:2-3). It’s not easy, but He will be with you.

Be well. Shalom.