By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.
— Hebrews 11:8 NIV
In the past few months several of our friends have followed God’s calling in dramatic ways. Some have moved to faraway places 
hoping to plant churches or teach emerging leaders. Others have re-located to be near their family, and a few have gone to pursue new careers and opportunities.Without exception, all have gone with re-ignited purpose and a clear assurance that they were following God’s leading. At the same time, there was understandably some fear, apprehension and uncertainty. It is not easy to go without all of the answers — without a tangible blueprint of a plan.
Abraham is, of course, our poster-child for whole-heartedly following and trusting God’s call. He was faithful, purposeful, and rather old. So was his wife. But, in the second half of their lives, they left their hometown of Ur and set out for the land of Canaan (Genesis 12). I do maintain that their purging efforts weren’t totally impressive since they took “all the possessions they had accumulated.” (12:5) Be that as it may, their response to God’s call is both remarkable and challenging.
Recently I found a poem someone gave us several years ago. I share it today as an encouragement to our friends who are pursuing new lives — and to any of us who might be hanging on too tightly.
He was seventy-five years old
and God’s first word to him
was “Go.”
I think of Abram
when my plans go awry,
when happenstance
pries my fingers loose
from the grasping illusion
of control over life.
“Go,” God said to Abram,
giving no address,
disclosing no destination.
Taking an unruly family,
trusting God to show the way,
Abram went.
On that wild journey
he, too, had fingers pried loose,
heard Sarai laugh, learned
that blessing comes
in the going
and the letting go.
— “Grasping Illusion” written by Bonnie Thurston
by Leona Bergstrom, Director, Re-Ignite
Copyright 2014 ChurchHealth
