From the Land of Ur

“Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat Lot. And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees. And Abram and Nahor took them wives: the name of Abram’s wife was Sarai; and the name of Nahor’s wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah. But Sarai was barren; she had no child. And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son’s son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram’s wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there. And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran.” Genesis 11:27-32 (KJV).

According to Scripture the call of God came to Abram, the son of Terah. It seems that Abram may have had an impact on his family and led them to leave Ur of the Chaldeans. Ur was a prosperous, and populous city in the Mesopotamia area. When it comes to looking at the beginnings of humanity we cannot get away from the area we know as the Mid-East. When you are looking at Ur on a map and in perspective of Bethel and Hai – Ur is approximately 600 miles almost directly East of those two places where Abram would eventually go. They would not, however, go straight across, due to the extreme heat of desert temperatures, and the danger of the travels. It would be dangerous for the animals Abram had as well as for the people. By going along the Euphrates River they would have water, and it was a trade route to Haran. The journey by way of the trade route was about 400 – 500 more miles to travel, but worth the time and effort.

It seems that Abram may have taken some extra baggage with him. According to the call in chapter twelve he was to “Get out from your country, from your family, and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you.” (12:1). He had convinced his father to come along, and in Haran Terah died, thus getting him from his “father’s house”. Nahor must have remained in Ur, because there is no further mention of him.

To Haran, Abram had brought along his father, now his father is dead. Now he journeys on for the land of Canaan; the land of God’s direction for his life. Yet, he still has some extra baggage. What about Lot. Abram will be separated from Lot too, in time. Remember when God gives us a call to separate He means totally, and if we don’t; He will. God does whatever it takes to make His people holy.

The journey of faith always begins from a place. The place where we are to the place God leads us to. It is not an easy journey, and anyone who says that it is has not started on the journey yet. The journey requires leaving some baggage behind. If we do not God eventually rid us of it Himself. It is His way of getting us to the place of total dependence upon Him.