# 98 Let Goods and Kindred Go

The Book of Genesis Day 98 Ge 12:1 Now the LORD had said to Abram: "Get out of your country, From your family And from your father's house, To a land that I will show you. The Lord speaks to Abram while he was still living in Ur. He tells him to get out of his country, from his family, and from his father’s house, to a land that God would show him. How would you like the Lord to give you that kind of a command? Leave the United States! Say goodbye to all your aunts and uncles, and cousins, even your father, and go someplace else. “Where God? “I will show you!” Good luck explaining that move to the fam! It sounds like an unusual request, yet it was God’s time to move and to show the people of the earth that there is a better way! He would use Abram to be the father of a great nation. Through Abram, all the families of the earth would be blessed. In order to do this, God needed to separate Abram from the idol worshiping Chaldeans, even if some of those idolaters were family members! You see, once again the people of the earth had reverted to all sorts of idolatry including Abram’s family! In Jos 24:2 we get a glimpse of life in the household of Abram: “ And Joshua said to all the people, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'Your fathers, including Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, dwelt on the other side of the River in old times; and they served other gods. So God called Abram out, even from his family! You know, that reminds me of what Jesus said in Lu 14:26 "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.” The Greek word for “hate” here means “to love less.” Abram loved his homeland, his family, and even himself, “less” than he loved God! So he departed as the Lord had spoken to him. He had no idea where he was going, he just followed God’s instructions. Guess what? When Jesus said to His disciples (and that includes you and I) “Follow Me” He was simply restating the command that God had given Abram. Beloved, Follow Jesus! Love all things less than you love God. It is the test of true discipleship. As the hymn states, “Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also!” You have no idea where the path of Jesus will take you, but you won’t regret it. Just remember to be true to His Word as you follow Him. Reflect: Have you ever taken any steps of faith, not knowing what the outcome would be? Pray: Father, we want to follow Jesus, especially after all He has done for us on the cross. Help us to “let go” of anything that may be holding us back. Help us to be “all in” with Jesus!