The writer of the Book of Hebrews highlights the life of Abraham in what seems like fairly simple terms. In Hebrews 11, we read:
“By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents…”
However, Abraham’s life was everything except simple. The context of Abraham’s experience is fascinating. What is characterized in just a few short sentences in Hebrews, is actually a 100-year experience1. Abraham was a grown, 75-year-old adult when God called him to leave his home in Haran (Genesis 12:4). Then, as described in Hebrews, “he set out, even though he did not know where he was going…”
Abraham’s nomadic travels and life took many fascinating turns. Among them: he went to Canaan; then he went to Egypt; he went back to Canaan; he fought and defeated Canaan’s greatest kings; he met God’s High Priest; he became father of Arabs (Ishmael) at age 86; and he received Christ and angels and entertained them in his tent. Then as if that was not enough, when he was 100 years old, he became father of Jews (Isaac); then he acceded to God’s request to sacrifice Isaac; then he received Isaac back from death (Hebrews 11:19). And there is more!
After Abraham’s wife, Sarah, died, married Keturah. Abraham fathered at least six children with Keturah. Abraham then saw his grandchildren (12 from Ishmael and 2 from Isaac and maybe more from other children) and probably his great-grandchildren. Abraham died at the ripe, old age of 175. Isaac and Ishmael buried him in a cave (Genesis 25:9).
All that from a person who “did not know where he was going…” Then again, he kind of did know where he was going. He was “looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:10).
That is a lesson for us. We might not know where we are going. And we might have many ups and downs…different kinds of experiences. In all of that, what is most important is that we do what God calls us to do. We do _not_ have to “have it all figured out.” It is clear that Abraham did not have it all figured out. But he did _follow God’s call and guidance_!
In that respect, let’s be like Abraham. Follow God’s call and guidance!
- The experience ranges far longer than 100 years, perhaps in the neighborhood of 245 years, if we include the preceding years when Abraham’s father, Terah, left Ur to go to Canaan but stopped and stayed in Haran. ↩︎
