The Lord said to Abram: Go out from your land, your relatives, and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. Genesis 12:1 HCSB
As a minister I have moved several times over the last 39 years following God’s call and direction in my life. Debbie and I have lived in seven different towns. Each time we have moved it has been difficult, but we have felt God’s call to move to a new location and assume a new challenge in ministry. We have felt anxious and uncertain at times, but we knew that as we followed God’s will for our lives everything would work out.
God spoke directly to Abram and told him to pack up his possessions and move to a foreign land. There is no indication God spoke to him in a dream or vision. Many times I have wished God would talk to me audibly or write on the wall so I would know His will without any doubt. That has never happened for me, but each time I have felt a sense that it was right and what God wanted me to do.
God called Abram out of his comfort zone. By the standards of that day, Abram had achieved great success. He had wealth, was surrounded by his family, and had animals and slaves. It was a monumental task to pack up everything and move, especially since Abram could not call the moving company to pack everything up and move his possessions like we can today. Also, he would have had to travel to his new home by foot, and it would have taken months to get there. He would not have known what he would encounter along the way. The easiest thing for Abram to say was, “No way!” Instead he faithfully followed God’s directions.
Challenge: God sometimes calls us out of our comfort zone so we can learn to depend upon Him and become more effective for His glory. What is God calling you to do today? Is He calling you out of your comfort zone? Step out in faith and depend on God to provide for your needs.