January 23rd Reflection by Bill Lynch

Genesis 12:1-9 (NRSV)
God calls Abram to go to Canaan
Now the Lord said to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."


So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy five years old when he departed from Haran. Abram took his wife Sarai and his brother's son Lot, and all the possessions that they had gathered, and the persons whom they had acquired in Haran; and they set forth to go to the land of Canaan. When they had come to the land of Canaan, Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. Then the Lord appeared to Abram, and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him. From there he moved on to the hill country on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar to the Lord and invoked the name of the Lord. And Abram journeyed on by stages toward the Negeb.

Reflection
The very act of what Abram did here recalls the acts of the disciples when they left all behind to follow Jesus. Abram had such faith and trust in God that he packed it all up and left for another land as God wished for him. Oddly, the disciples even left behind their possessions and family to follow Jesus.

People seem to be called in various times and in various ways. Some are called to stay where they are and in the occupation they know, and follow Jesus into the world of where they live. Others are called to leave a place and start new with a different group, such as a pastor's call to another congregation. Then, again, on a first call, the pastor may be called to pack up and move or even perhaps leave the possessions behind and move to a mission field call. But, it's not only clergy that experience the call. Lay are called to all types of actions to follow Jesus as clerks, nurses, factory workers, doctors, skilled maintenance, electricians, accountants, scientists, teachers, and on and on. God's call is the most meaningful way we have to touch the lives of others in relationship to what God has done for us.

So, rejoice and build an altar to God and worship God in your call today... tomorrow... and forever.

Prayer
Lord, may I listen and heed your call to action in everything I do. May I get up and go when you wish and stay when you desire. Lead me this day to do your will. --- Amen