Genesis12_1

Genesis 12:1

Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:

Genesis 12:1 records that Jehovah spoke clearly to Abram: “Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee.” God commanded Abram to leave his country, his relatives, and his father’s household. Because in God’s first call to him, Abram delayed for a period of time. Now God made it clear that He was calling only Abram and his wife—not others. It is never easy for a person to leave a familiar place and family ties.

This reveals a basic spiritual principle: after believing in God, you must leave your original background and environment. Only then can God work in you, and only then can you cooperate with Him to accomplish something meaningful in your life.

The place where Abram had lived was filled with idols—symbols of Satan’s influence. Therefore, he needed to leave and begin anew. Historically, Ur of the Chaldees was a center of idolatry and spiritual darkness. Even though Abram did not respond fully to God’s first call, God arranged the circumstances around him to bring him out. His father led the family away, and later his father Terah died. After that, God called Abram a second time.

The same principle applies to our lives. If God calls you and you hesitate for a long time, God may arrange circumstances that compel you to move forward and work with Him.

Furthermore, if you desire to accomplish something great, you must leave your country, your kindred, and your father’s house. When a person remains in the same environment for too long, he may become dull and simply imitate the people around him. In that condition, he cannot discover his personal potential or the purpose God has placed within him. He becomes merely an inherited copy of his family, living the same life his parents lived.

We must leave our country, our kindred, and our father’s house in order to follow God. Then we will see the land that God has promised to us.