A Sovereign Call

Genesis 12:1

New International Version

The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.

For Meditation

God declared it in Eden—the offspring of the woman will crush the head of the serpent (Genesis 3:15). The ringing questions from then were who, how, and when. God gave none of those details. Neither did He give any hints. His redemption project was His alone to roll out with no human input. So, we read about the first murder outside Eden (4:8), Enoch walking with God and was no more (5:24), the floods (7:24), old Noah’s indecent exposure after having too much to imbibe (9:20-27), and men challenging God with their architectural adventure towards heaven. What is God doing, and how will this redemption project happen? 

These things position Him above all creation as God Almighty and none other. No one knows His mind, nor can anybody counsel Him (Romans 11:33-34).

The Holy Spirit takes the biblical narrative to a remote place called Ur of the Chaldeans and to the household of Terah (Genesis 11:27). The notable thing about Terah is how he set out to go to Canaan with his family before God promised it to the descendants of Terah’s son, Abram (31). Terah settles in Haran with his family, and there he dies. The redemption flight is set and ready to take off.

God calls Abram out of his country, people, and father’s household to a land He would show him (12:1). Out of him, God would raise a holy nation—Israel, from which the seed of the woman to crush the head of the serpent would come.

The Christmas story in the Gospels identifies Jesus as the seed of the woman, the Virgin Mary, who has crushed the head of the serpent on the cross and worked salvation for us. Those who believe in Him receive eternal life and will one day live with Him forever (John 3:16; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).

Behold, this is the Good News for all humanity to hear and for all people to decide where their eternal residence after this world would be—either with Jesus in heaven or with Satan in hell.

Around our dinner tables and the giving of our gifts this Christmas season, let us recall how God called Abram from nowhere and made him a blessing to all the peoples of the earth. Through Jesus, God calls everyone to acknowledge their sinfulness and depravity, repent, and ask for a place in His kingdom.

The manger child is the Savior, and our celebration must center on Him and His invitation to everybody who believes (John 1:12-13). Let’s tell it as we share our meals and gifts.