The Story of Abraham, Part 1 (Genesis 12)

Abraham lived in a land called Ur of the Caldees. I know that’s a funny sounding name, and it was in the country where the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers come together. You may read about those rivers sometime in a history book at school. Abraham also lived close to the place where people tried to build the Tower of Babel before God mixed up their languages. Most of the people who lived in Ur worshiped idols and did many other evil things. It was not a good place to bring up a family, but Abraham was a good man and believed in God. The Bible calls him, “the friend of God.” We don’t know exactly how it happened, but one day God spoke to Abraham and told him to gather all his family and belongings together and move far away. God promised to bless him and lead him to a land where he would make of him a great nation. God even promised Abraham that all the families of the earth would be blessed through him. These were big promises, but Abraham knew that God was a big God and that he always keeps his promises. By faith he obeyed God. He took his family and belongings and left Ur of the Caldees not even knowing where he was going. It probably was hard for him to give up things he could see for things he could not see; but he knew God had something better for him, and he was right. Are you glad God always wants what is best for us? I am.