Desire of Your Heart

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After Terah was seventy years old, he had three sons: Abram, Nahor, and Haran, who became the father of Lot. Terah's sons were born in the city of Ur in Chaldea, and Haran died there before the death of his father. The following is the story of Terah's descendants.  Abram married Sarai, but she was not able to have any children. And Nahor married Milcah, who was the daughter of Haran and the sister of Iscah.  Terah decided to move from Ur to the land of Canaan. He took along Abram and Sarai and his grandson Lot, the son of Haran. But when they came to the city of Haran, they decided to settle there instead.  Terah lived to be two hundred five years old and died in Haran.

Genesis 11: 13 - 16

The father of Abram decided to move to Canaan but stopped short in Haran. Then God called Abram to finish the journey and go to Canaan. When Terah decided to go to Canaan was he hearing the call of God and just didn't recognize it? Well of course we don't know because the Bible does not say, but it does seem odd that Abram, who was later called Abraham would be called by God to go to the place that his father had intended on going anyway.

If Terah had gone on to Canaan would he have been called the "Grandfather of the faithful?" His son Abraham was called the "Father of the faithful."

If Terah's desire to go to Canaan was put into his heart by the Lord then there is a lesson for us today. When you decide on an honorable course of action don't stop in Haran! Do you know for sure that your desire did not come from the Lord Himself? God can put the desire in your heart as easily as He can put the Word in your ear!

Faith itself says that God is involved in every step you take. If your heart and mind are fixed on Jesus, His peace will hover over you as you walk even without a specific Word from God. God is the author of every good and righteous thing. So if you are a Christian and you want to walk in righteousness you can be sure that God is directing your steps.

Terah stopped in Haran and the call, if it was a call from God, was passed on to his son Abram.

Remember God does not work in only one generation. God works from generation to generation and from age to age. He may call you to complete a work that began long before you were born. He may call you to begin a work that will not be completed until long after you are gone.

"Lord Jesus, forgive me for stopping in Haran and not going all the way to the place to which You have called me. Give me the strength to get up and move today to the place You want me to go. And may You be praised forever. Amen."

Originally published on 8/31/13