The journey for Abraham and his family began with God initiating a relationship with him. Scripture does not give details, only the words, “The Lord said to Abram …” (Genesis 12:1a). On the surface it seems natural for God to speak to someone important in the Bible. What makes this scene unnatural is the fact that, at this time, Abraham was not important. In fact, from all indications he was not even following God. The Old Testament book of Joshua tells us that Abraham’s father was an idol worshipper (Joshua 24:2). Picture Abraham as a man who lived in a pagan, idol-worshipping world, being addressed by the creator God of the universe!

God called Abraham because he had great plans for him. He was not singled out because he had a godly heritage, was in the right family, or grew up in the right church. God initiated a conversation with Abraham that interrupted his life and changed the course of his journey. God put him on a track that would ultimately lead to a new path of redemption for the world through Christ.

Where are you on your spiritual journey? You may have little to no awareness or concern for spiritual things. You may have a desire to know more about a life dedicated to God. You may be a dedicated follower of Christ. Just like God had great plans for Abraham, God has great plans for you. Wherever you are in the journey, he wants to take you to the next step. The journey for Abraham led him out of a life of purposeless service of idols and into a life of purposeful faith in God. Where will your journey take you? What conversation is the God of the universe initiating with you that may lead to redemption or transformation in some area of your life?