Abram not only heard, but acted on the words God spoke to him. His actions impacted others as well. It took faith, determination and persistence, and it began with one step. Abram brought what he valued, travelled to Shechem, and on to between Bethel and Ai.
What He Valued
When Abram left Haran, he didn’t go alone. He uprooted Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all the servants born in his house. He gathered all his possessions and left nothing behind. These types of decisions don’t happen on a whim. It took a work of the heart to enable Abram to make such a decision. It required strength of leadership. It took strong faith, a belief in the voice which he could not see.
Travel to Shechem
They headed to Canaan. This was the land of the descendants of Ham, the son on whom Noah cast his curse. As Abram passed through it, he came to the terebinth tree of Moreh. The Canaanites were living there. The scripture doesn’t indicate any misgivings or mental struggles Abram encountered here, but we do know that God reiterated His promise in this place, “To your descendants, I will give this land.” Abram responded by building an altar, a place to meet God, in this part of the journey.
Travel to Between Bethel and Ai
Abram didn’t stop here. He continued the journey to an area between Bethel and Ai. In this place we don’t have record that God spoke, but rather Abram called upon God. In the dust of the journey, the hot sun and weariness of travel, he called out to the One who called him forth. Abram brought what he valued, travelled to Shechem and on to between Bethel and Ai.