The Call Of Grace

Abraham was a voice God found.

"Now the LORD said to Abram, 'Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.' So Abram went, as the LORD had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran." - Genesis 12:1-4 ESV

Wow. He was 75 years old and leaving everything he knew. It doesn't say when God first spoke to Abram. Did God say it when he was young but it took years for Abram to do it or did God say it in Abram's old age and he obeyed quickly? After 75 years on this Earth a person becomes set in their ways.

"Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, 'To your offspring I will give this land.' So he built there an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him." - Genesis 12:7 ESV

This was a beautiful thing about Abram. He built altars. He created physical milestones and worshiped God.

God told Abram to 'go' and he went. It might have been instantaneous or it might have taken some time.

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." - Matthew 11:28-30 ESV

Jesus says 'come' to us and our generation.

It really is a light burden and an easy fitting yoke. I see so many people struggle under a heavy burden and forced to wear coverings that do not fit them. Empty tradition is all some people know and when they leave their 'father's house' they aren't going towards a real hope they are just fleeing from the place they were as refugees.

Do you hear God's voice this morning saying, 'Come unto me'? Is your burden heavy? He has a light one and He wants to trade your burden out for His.

Is it social pressure? Jesus says 'come unto me.'

Do you have financial worries or health issues? Jesus says 'come unto me.'

Is it fear or doubt or a situation that seems to have no solution? We have all been there. Jesus has walked where we walked. We can go to Him and leave the reactions of our genetics and upbringing behind. He will give us rest and like Abraham we can build an altar celebrating the rest He gives.

Later we will look back at these times and worship if we live this way. The landscape of our memory will have become be filled with altars of different shapes and sizes.

As I visit my memories this morning and rejoice I still say, 'The Best Is Yet To Come.' I say it by faith. If God can use Abram and change his life at 75 can't he do that and more for us if we will just come to Him?

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