Tag: Home

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The bedouin called from obscurity.

Reading Time: 2 minutes 
“The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭12‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Abram’s dad and grandad had done really well traveling the plains of eastern Turkey. There’s a comment in Genesis that sounds like Abram’s father was planning to make the journey to Canaan, but stopped and made a life in Haran.

Terah was the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran was the father of Lot. “One day Terah took his son Abram, his daughter-in-law Sarai (his son Abram’s wife), and his grandson Lot (his son Haran’s child) and moved away from Ur of the Chaldeans. He was headed for the land of Canaan, but they stopped at Haran and settled there. Terah lived for 205 years and died while still in Haran.” Genesis‬ ‭11‬:‭31‬-‭32‬.

It was in Haran that God came to Abram and told him to leave. This was THE journey of faith that started the biggest conversation about faith and obedience ever. Abram saying YES to God wasn’t the first, because Noah had a very similar situation. But, this “yes,” this move, would later be referred to as Abraham being “credited,” credited to him as righteousness! Abraham’s faith and covenant (contract) in and with God was pre Law, pre ten commandments! This credit of righteousness would be a difficult, contrarian conversation with God’s own people, Israel, for many generations to come. And us Gentiles don’t find out the significance of this moment between God and Abram until the New Testament and the Messiah (Christ) comes to perfect and surpass that faith making faith the hinge-moment of salvation even above the law itself.

This one decision, buried in history, obscured by the past and eclipsed by Moses and the law is essential for us to understand the phrase the “righteous will live by faith!” All of our human attempts at perfecting ourselves or working off our debt to God miss the point. Just like Abram, BELIEVING and OBEYING God is what is required. The Apostle Paul said it perfectly, “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.” We are all kind of wandering bedouins, and believing God to leave that life means we can all find a permanent home with him.

Prayer

Dad,
I didn’t have to leave my country, but in many ways, I had to believe and leave a chaotic, spotted past to find my forever home with you. As someone who was adopted out of a difficult family situation to something far worse, I get the promise of permanency. I get the idea of stopping, putting down roots, developing deep and rich relationships that last a lifetime here and with anticipation of continuing those relationships into eternity. I know some move around, from state to state, city to city, and find it exciting, even adventurous. For me, I like the sense of stability. And, I am thankful that you have blessed Robin and myself to generally live that kind of life. Thank you for home, faith and permanence in You.

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Rich memories of home.

Reading Time: 2 minutes 
“A house is built by wisdom and becomes strong through good sense. Through knowledge its rooms are filled with all sorts of precious riches and valuables.” Proverbs‬ ‭24‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Such an odd little proverb about building a house with wisdom, good sense and knowledge. Of course, the wisdom writers can’t be talking about buildings, even though it states the rooms are filled with riches. If Proverbs was a curriculum package for young men, I could see how this would begin to teach and sway them to seek wisdom to have happy homes and rooms filled with riches. Still, this isn’t a promise, it’s a principle.

Building a solid family does take wisdom. Using good or common sense does build character in the family members in the house. And, the most precious riches and valuables I have experienced in the “rooms,” are the incredible memories made there. Once you’ve moved out of your family home, especially the one you grew up in, most never get a chance to return and just re-live the memories that took place in each room. I have returned to my Aunt & Uncle’s home several times as an adult and every thing always seemed much smaller than I remember. That is a general rule in childhood, because we were once small ourselves and the world was SO big. The house was huge, the walk to school was long, the street and the block you lived on seemed like miles of sidewalk. We (our family) spent 25 years living in one house. That was long enough to go from birth to High School graduation or beyond for our older sons. Just driving the street and alleyway brings back lots of memories.

The wisdom writers could have been making a duel purpose statement when referring to riches. One, there are priceless riches in memories and each space filled with love. Plus, the actual benefit of being in a house, having a roof over your head and little worries about food or shelter. Our childhood memories, our origin stories are powerful enough to frame our attitudes and outlook on life for many years. A good childhood yields good memories and a healthy, positive sense of being able to replicate that when you become an adult. Contrarily, a tough childhood, filled with chaos and instability has quite the opposite effect on our outlook and perspective of adulthood especially when it comes to family.

Robin has wonderful memories of houses, homes and family growing up. Me, not so much. Many of my homes had trauma and uncertainty attached to them. Twice, my adopted mother had to pack up my sister and I to flee from dangerous husbands (one my adopted father, the other a wicked stepfather). Not so good on the ol’ memories of home.

I love the fact that Proverbs teaches young men and women about the value of godliness with character traits such as wisdom, knowledge and good sense. A good foundation doesn’t guarantee good results in building a home, but it gives some just as important- HOPE.

Prayer

Dad,
Not knowing any of these principles growing up, I think you did a good job of teaching me personally. It took a lot of work and I had a hard time catching up to anything considered to being normal or good. Even though I was ALWAYS on edge and fearful of doing the right thing, I was determined to trust you and do my very best at being obedient. Eternal thanks for your patience in teaching and mercy in times of failures.