I've been looking at Abraham and his life and searching out the history of that time as well, trying to find out what kind of world he lived in and to see him in context with everything else that was going on.

With the help of Google Earth, Wikipedia and some great podcasts on history; it's been great fun. 


It was intended just for me but others might enjoy it, but it was mainly with the intent of learning things from his life that might benefit us in our own walk. Which in a nutshell I believe comes down to believing God's Word to us, treasuring it in our heart and to trust Him no matter what.

It's another study altogether, an insight into his world, but it's opened up so many thoughts and avenues..... and one of those things that stood out to me was that Abram, as he was called at that time, went through an experience where everything seemed to be totally messed up and ruined.

It's a recurring theme in the lives of the patriarchs; the children of Israel, Job, the Lord Jesus himself and no surprise therefore, in us as God's children .

I'd seen this before with Moses, Joseph etc. but here was Abram too, and it's too common a theme to be coincidence. How adverse circumstances actually prepare us for our destiny.

That a work is done out of sight in us at the very time we least expect it....... in the darkest of times .... .  I believe those times that are overwhelming, are bread for us, if we'll just trust and keep His Word in our heart.


Proverbs 3:5  Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.


For me, that scripture pretty much says it all, that trying to make sense of circumstances will lead to fear and doubt... and I 've been there...... wondering where God is for all this to be happening; doesn't He care?  But in the circumstance no matter what.., facing lions..., a fiery furnace..., giants...,  alone in a cold dark cave..., to trust him, knowing that no matter what, he will never leave us and it will all come good in the end as he promised.    


I suppose James summed this all up when he wrote, "Count it all joy brethren.."

Something I could never understand until I realised he meant, enter it up in your ledger or account book as  "joy"....., since that will be the end result.


James 1:2-4,  

 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.  But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. ... 


v12

Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.


This is what I believe the Lord wants from me, from us, my trust, our trust. To believe His Word and just trust Him.


The giants become bread for us...... Jesus came out of the wilderness in the power of the Spirit..... Moses, out of the wilderness with a commission and equipped with the power of God through his staff...... Joseph, taken from a prison cell and given authority and power over all of Egypt, affecting the lives of hundreds of thousands in neighbouring countries as well .....and so on.


A work had taken place and they were prepared for their destiny.


When I was looking at Abraham, I wondered when God first made himself known to him? If it was as a child, like Samuel and Jeremiah?  And given his close walk with the Lord, I figured that it was probably as a child or as a youth, but it did make me wonder what his family thought of him.  If they saw him as "different" or even a bit of an embarrassment, as he wouldn't have fitted in at all with the things that were going on around him at the time, since idolatry was considered normal and civilised.


This was about 400 years after the flood and Yahweh, the God of Noah, was once more disregarded and instead, a host of so called deities were worshipped, so that idolatry was not thought of as idolatry but considered perfectly normal.


Jesus said this about himself, saying that a prophet is not without honour except in his own house etc.


Mark 6:3-4 

" Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.  But Jesus said unto them, "A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house".


The fact then that Abram was called out of his father's house and kindred and the land that he lived in, makes me think that he definitely didn't fit in.


I just mention this because I can see that as they left Ur, Abram and Sarai were pretty much on their own in one sense. Yes they had family members with them, but God's promise was in their hearts scripture says, in Hebrews 11.  They were the ones turning their back on a world steeped in idolatry and prepared to just follow God's Word to them.


Consequently the episode in Egypt years later, when Pharaoh, who had been assured that Sarai was Abram's sister, took her for himself....., at that moment it must have felt like everything had unraveled and that she was lost to him forever.


Scroll back just a little bit and only a short while earlier, they had arrived at Shechem in Canaan, a journey of some 700 miles from Haran.....(the equivalent of Land's end to Loch Ness at walking pace with ox carts and wagons, camels and donkeys )  and God appeared to Abram and said "this is the land".  I try to imagine the joy that they must have felt at that moment.

Knowing that after all their travelling and upheaval, leaving family and friends behind, the loss of his father and another 700 miles prior to that from Ur to Haran..... they were now where God wanted them..... and they knew that they were in the center of His will..... having been obedient to His Word to them .

Fantastic stuff!


One would expect everything to be rosy now, but contrary to all expectations I'm sure, they are caught up in a severe famine.  So extreme that these unforeseen circumstances demand an extra journey of 300 miles into Egypt, half of which was across desert and wilderness........ and then Sarai is taken from him for good.....! 


Forget for a moment that it was Abram who asked her to conceal the fact she was his wife, and think how desperate things must have been in order for them to contemplate that, feeling that there was no alternative but to risk going into Egypt.  So even at that point things were very difficult. We know the outcome in just a few verses but they didn't.... , as far as they knew, that was it .

Try to imagine the grief and heartbreak at what was happening, it must have been overwhelming and enough to break most people. The brokenness they both must have experienced at that moment on so many levels.  "How can this be happening to us ?"  "Why?"  "What about your promises ?"


Even though Lot was there and the servants, it had always been about him and Sarai really, both on the same page, sharing the same hope in God.... and now she was gone.... .

For that brief period it must have been a truly heartbreaking experience, a terrible, terrible time for both of them and he was now in effect, very much alone with God.


It was only for a short period, but he didn't know that at the time and one can only guess at all the emotions and thoughts.  I believe that in the brokenness and bewilderment that he must surely have felt, that he still trusted and turned to God, even though everything else was just a great mess that made no sense.


Incredibly, God intervened and Sarai was given back untouched and then...., beyond their wildest dreams, were gifted with riches, servants and livestock and then politely asked to leave! 

It's no surprise then, that the first thing he did was go back to Bethel, near Shechem where God had appeared to him. He clearly wanted to re-establish that sense of being in the middle of God's will.


What I would like to know and understand, is what work was done in the heart during that dreadful circumstance?  Was it to find out what was in his heart and how he would respond?

Or is it that a work actually takes place inside like a humbling, where one's own strength is touched, producing total trust in God alone?


It's just that I see this in so many lives and examples in scripture and it makes me wonder, in the good sense of The Word, at God's ability to do a work in us in the very things we think are disastrous.  I believe he wants us to just trust him, regardless of circumstances and the chaos of the moment that sometimes seems overwhelming, to just trust and something happens in our hearts and attitudes as we go through them.


One can see similar experiences in the lives of Moses, Joseph, David, Job and many others I'm sure, if one thought carefully about it, when everything seems to have been stripped away and their lives were turned upside down in a moment.  Totally opposite to what was expected but they clearly held on in there with the Lord.  Carried along by circumstances, all of them had no choice, but I believe they all looked to the Lord .  That seems to be the common thread in all of them.


I ask myself, "What took place in their hearts during these times ?" Because it's too consistent to be anything other than a definite process, a means to an end, which can be seen in one's own life too, and how that afterwards in every instance...., they were ready to fulfil their destiny.


Moses spent 40 years growing up as a prince in the house of Pharaoh, and was certain of his destiny as a deliverer for his people, and then everything just went pear shaped. The next 40 years in the back of beyond in a wilderness tending livestock and as far as he knew that was it for the rest of his life.


What took place in his heart during those latter years?.... Regrets? Bewilderment? Acceptance? Or Surrender? in the sense of "I don't understand any of this but I'm yours to do with as you choose," "sorry if I botched it".  Whatever it was, a work was done and 40 years later, a lifetime in fact!, he was ready.


Is it that our self reliance and pride needs to be brought low and replaced with a complete dependence on God? Is this a lesson that if learnt or at least understood, will stand us in good stead for when we encounter difficult times? For me, I think Yes, absolutely.  To just trust that he is in control and that everything will work together for good.


Similarly, Joseph who was certain of his birthright and enjoyed the favour of his Father and God, in a moment had everything taken from him and barely came through the situation with his life.  Sold as a slave, naked and alone in a new country.  Even as a slave his life began to pick up, then it was dashed once more until finally he ends up in a dungeon for years prior to fulfilling his destiny in God.  What were the thoughts and the attitude of his heart in all of this?


Even Jesus after being baptised and hearing the Father's words, "this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased,"  immediately was led of the Spirit into the wilderness all alone, to be tested for 40 days after which he came out in the power of God.  As did Moses and Joseph after their ordeals, ready to fulfill their destiny.


It makes me look at our circumstances in a new light, almost as a preparation for one's destiny as a Son of God. An encouragement to just trust at those times when things seem to make no sense.  For instance why giants in the Land?  Surely that wasn't necessary ?  But Caleb knew....., saying "don't be afraid, if God delights in us (implying 'and he does' ) then He will bring us into this land and give it us...... don't fear the people of the land for they are bread for us, ......".


David too for instance, chosen by God to be the future King and anointed by Samuel, slaying Goliath and enjoying a meteoric rise to success, only to then be chased by Saul and his army and in fear of his life, eventually hiding out in a cave, a very desperate situation.  With just a small band of followers, in effect he was all alone.  Yet, as always, he turned to God for comfort and help, putting his trust in God regardless.


There is a telling scripture in 2 Samuel 7:8-9, that reveals something really encouraging in all of this....


"Now therefore, thus shall you say to My servant David, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts:

"I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people, over Israel. 


There was God's unswerving plan.....and in all of the difficulties that he went through in preparation for this great destiny, God never left him.  Thankyou Lord Jesus!


"And I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you, and have made you a great name, like the name of the great men who are on the earth".


Perhaps then this is an experience that's common to all of God's children and something we can take heart from.   Not to be fearful, expecting bad things to happen but to be encouraged and know that no matter whatever circumstances we do have to face in life, that God's promises are certain, sure, and that contrary to how it may seem at the time, His plan and purpose for our lives is firmly on track.


I've messed up in the past and remember now a word that Bill (the late Bill Mauger, who was my Pastor) gave me only weeks earlier, but I hadn't understood at the time what it was all about.  He called me out and said, "the Lord says, do you want to go the short way or the long way?" Not having a clue what this was about, I answered "the short way", as it sounded the best option, and of course when trouble came like a flood not very long after this, I was overwhelmed and heartbroken, just wondering where God was and like He wasn't interested in me.


All nonsense of course, and it looks like it was the long way in the end, but no matter, The Lord has been so gracious and patient, and I am so grateful for His love and goodness to me and Teresa, and aware that a work has nevertheless been done in that horrible time, which is just amazing.


So in the middle of those times when we don't know what's happening or why, and we feel lonely .... to turn to him and just trust him regardless, knowing that he's right there with us and holds us, rather than the other way round. I believe all He wants from us, is our trust.


God bless.

Chris