A new beginning?
After creation, the flood and the tower of Babel, the grand narrative of origins swoops down on one family living in what is now Iraq. This somewhat raggle taggle family group moves out on a journey. Terah has with him one of his surviving sons and his barren daughter-in-law and an orphaned grandson. As far as we know all the rest of his family remain in Ur.
I imagine Terah would have been astounded to know how many millions of people now know about his moving house 4000 years ago. His journey seems so insignificant among the millions of human journeys in history. And yet this move was the beginning of a history of a people, chosen and guided, shaped and pushed so that we could know the God of grace who had chosen them. It was a small move, an incomplete move - later Abram would carry on to Canaan - but a hugely significant move. The amazing thing is that the Lord loved that little group of Mesopotamians and had high expectations of them.
New Year is a time when many take a moment to do some reflection on life, make a resolution or two, plan a change or a move. Do I need to make a move? Am I being pushed out of this place, this job or this relationship? We may only be able to see a little way ahead. We may only be aware of the Lord leading us a short distance onwards at the moment. The full significance may only be revealed years in the future. But knowing what the Lord would do with Terah's move from Ur to Haran, we can trust him for 2007 and, if he calls, be ready to make a move.
Thomas said, 'Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?' Jesus answered, 'I am the way.'
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