Overthinking versus Obedience
I spent far too long thinking about what to write for my first blog post. Much more than was necessary. Sometimes it feels like I could win a gold medal in overthinking. But this journey has been teaching me the beauty of releasing the details to the Lord and simply stepping out in obedience. Every leap of faith has brought blessings I could never have imagined had I stayed safely in my comfort zone.
A Biblical Pattern of Obedience and Blessing
Scripture is full of stories that reflect this truth. Take Abraham. He obeyed God and miraculously received the son he longed for. Beyond that, God made a covenant with him…promising to make him into a great nation and to bless him abundantly. And God did exactly that. For generations, children have marched along singing, “Father Abraham had many sons…” reminding us of the fruit of Abraham’s obedience.
The Surprising Starter of the Journey
But if you look closely at Genesis 11:31 , it wasn’t Abraham who first set out for Canaan. It was his father, Terah. Terah led his family out of Ur of the Chaldeans with the intention of going to Canaan. Yes, that Canaan. The very land later revealed as the Promised Land. Yet when they reached Harran, they settled there. Terah lived the rest of his 205 years in that halfway place.
Halfway There
The journey from Ur to Harran was about 600 miles and Canaan was another 500 miles beyond that. Terah brought his family more than halfway to the promised land, then stopped short. Scripture doesn’t tell us why he settled. But we do know that in Genesis 12, the covenant and the resultant blessings went to Abraham…the one who finished the journey.
When We Settle, We Miss the Blessing
Throughout our lives, we will face many opportunities to step out in obedience and receive the resultant blessing. They may look like small decisions rather than dramatic leaps of faith, but the consequence is the same. When we settle, like Terah, we miss out on the part God is inviting us to play in His plan and on the blessings He reserves for the obedient.
What Is Your Harran?
So, what is your Harran? Is it your job, your home, your town, your financial comfort? Where has God been nudging you to go? And what will you do about it? Will you settle or will you walk forward as a true child of Abraham, stepping out in obedience?
God’s Plan Moves Forward—With or Without Us
Because here’s the sobering truth: God’s work will continue with or without your participation. If you refuse His call, He will raise up another. But you. You will remain in your Harran never knowing the blessings God intended for you on the other side of obedience.