Get Up and Go (Abraham and Sarah)

So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran. He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Harran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there. 

Genesis 12:4,5

READ Genesis 12.

Leave everything??? Every friend. Every memory. Every confidant. Every hairstylist. Every department store. Every restaurant. Every church member. Everything? God is not recorded talking to Sarah and telling her to follow her husband. No place is listed where He made her a promise too. No confirmation that her husband wasn’t crazy or going through a mid-life crisis. God asked her to abandon all, trust her 80-year-old husband. It seems odd at first but in the divine command was a personal promise.

A closer inspection reveals that the direct command included her in the directions. Leave everyone and take Sarai, your wife. She was not a slave or a handmaid. She wasn’t his mother or aunt. She was his life partner—Abram’s rib. Sarai was just as much a part of the call as Abram was. She was the one through whose womb God would fulfill the lofty, if not crazy, promise that one day Abram would father a nation. 

What do you do if God calls your spouse to make a significant move and He hasn’t revealed that plan to you? Go. God spoke to Abram but called them both. This promise reveals that sometimes God shares things with one spouse that He may not disclose to the other. In leaving everything and everyone, they were forced to grow closer as a couple and rely totally on God - so Abram went (Gen. 12:4). The call was for the couple, and so was the promise. Through their willingness to move, they were used by God to change the world. 

Thought Questions

• Have you ever had a time when you felt impressed to do something, but your spouse did not share the same sentiment? Or vice versa. Have you ever had your spouse tell you that they wanted (or needed) to do something, and you disagreed? How did you react? What did you feel?

Life Lessons

• Sometimes marriage requires trusting your spouse, even when you are hesitant to move forward. The biggest blessing may not be in moving forward but in the fact that you are moving forward together.
• Obeying God requires a delicate balance between following God’s directive and respecting your spouse, who will join you on the journey. Find ways to ensure that your spouse knows that you appreciate their presence along the way.

Further Study

Read Hebrews 11:8-12. This chapter is also known as the “faith” chapter. Notice that BOTH Abraham and Sarah are mentioned. Discuss what it means to live a life of faith together. What are some ways for you and your spouse to grow in this area?