Abraham, Friend of God

More than anything, I want to be a friend of God and am learning the ABCs from Abraham.

• Be separated unto God and live above and apart from the world.

• Obey Him and His Word, totally. and expect His promises to be fulfilled.

• Give Him all that you have, including what or whom you love most.

Learn more from F.B. Meyer's book, reviewed in today's blog article.

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F.B. Meyer (1847-1929) is a great storyteller. I enjoyed reading this book immensely. He is also a great preacher, infusing the story of Abraham* (1996-1821) with lessons that make moral points. We will look at some of these today.

An asterisk* after a name means the person is in SPIRITUAL LIVES.

Abram's Call

Meyer explains the steps of Abram's call about his family. God spoke to him first in Ur, where he was living with Terah, his father, and other family members. The call was to

Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: (Genesis 12:1).

Meyer calls this "The Divine Summons" and says it "ever sounds the perpetual summons of God. Come out from her, My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues."

The key to Abraham's life is the word "Separation." He was from first to last a SEPARATED MAN."

Abram's Journey

Meyer cites Hebrews 11:8:

By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed;

He observes the importance of "obedience" in a life of faith, but also points out that Abram's obedience was only partial at first. Obedience is tough. And Abram was reluctant to leave his father, hence the interim move to Haran.

Meyer has this lesson for us: It becomes us to be very careful as to whom we take with us on our pilgrimage. We may make a fair start from our Ur, but if we take Terah with us, we shall not go far."

This first part of the journey was about six hundred miles, the remainder, from Haran to Canaan, four hundred, so this first trip was not wasted.

When Terah died, Abram set out for Canaan. He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all the servants they had amassed with him. Meyer calls him "The First of the Pilgrim Fathers," on foot, always living in tents, a befitting symbol of the spirit of his life."

In keeping with his call to separation, "He held himself aloof from the people of the land. He was among them, but not of them. He did not attend their gatherings. He carefully guarded against intermarriage with their children."

Wherever he pitched his tent, he erected an altar and worshipped. In all of this, he was motivated by God's promise,

"And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him." Genesis 12:7

Hebrews tells us,

By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. 

By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: 

For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. - Hebrews 11:8-10

Meyer teaches: I know not what promise may be over-arching your life, my reader, with its bow of hope; but this is certain, that if you fulfill its conditions, and live up to its demands, it will be literally and gloriously fulfilled."

Abraham and Lot

Meyer says little about Lot and his relationship with Abraham. Although their love for one another is unspoken, it is clearly demonstrated in the long time they lived together, in Ur, Haran, their journey to Canaan and Egypt, and finally their residence in the Land of Promise.

Meyer does not think highly of him: He seems to have been one of those men who take the right steps, not because they are prompted by obedience to God, but because their friends are taking them......Beware of them!"

Lot had traveled with Abram from Haran to Canaan and Egypt and now they were settled in the south of Canaan. Their flocks were so great that the Bible says "the land was not able to bear them." Strife developed between their herdsmen and Abram told Lot to choose where he wanted to go and that he would take what was left.

And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. 

Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other. 

Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. 

But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly. - Genesis 13:10-13

Meyer warns us here about making a choice "determined by the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life," and overlooking that the men of Sodom were "sinners before the Lord, exceedingly."

This convicted me because this is how so many of my choices have been made. In our American culture decisions are based on finances, where we can get a job, and where we can prosper. Jesus* (4 BC-30 AD) and His will are often absent from our thinking.

At first the choice was made from afar, but then Meyer tells us to "see how Lot was swiftly swept into the vortex; first he saw; then he chose; then he separated himself from Abram; then he journeyed east; then he pitched his tent toward Sodom; then he dwelt there; then he became an alderman of the place."

Meyer goes on to say, "His daughters married two of the men of Sodom; and they probably ranked among the most genteel and influential families of the neighborhood. But his power of witness-bearing was gone." 

Yet in all of this, the Lord loved him, poured out his mercy upon him, and sent angels to rescue him when He destroyed the city and it wicked inhabitants. 

Abraham and Sarah

Just before Sodom was destroyed, the LORD came to visit Abraham* and Sarah,*(1986-1859 BC) and they entertained Him lavishly. Sarah prepared the meal but sat inside apart from her husband and His Guests. As they ate, the LORD foretold the birth of Sarah's child.

Sarah was sitting inside the flimsy curtain of camel's hair, secluded after the Easter fashion for women of high rank, and as she heard the worlds, she laughed within herself the laugh of incredulity.

That laugh was at once noticed by Him from whom nothing can be hid, and whose eyes are as a flame of fire....

And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? 

Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. -Genesis 18:13-14

With strange simplicity she answered through the curtain, denying she had laughed: for she was afraid. But her reply was met by the stern and uncompromising asservation, which was altogether final, "Nay, but thou didst laugh."

These were the only audible words we know to have passed between God and Abraham's wife; and they reveal the superficiality and unbelief of her nature. But we must not judge her too harshly, for she had not the opportunities of her husband. However, she seems to have been led by these words into a true faith; for it is said: Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. - Hebrews 11:11

Abraham and Abimelech

After Sarah had cast out Ishmael, God sent Abraham to Beersheba where he and king Abimelech* (circa 1900 BC) made a covenant and ratified it by digging a well, planting a Tamarisk tree, and building an altar. Meyer here uses the well and its water to make a point which has changed by Bible reading:

The water of that well speaks of the life of God, which is in Jesus Christ our Lord, and is stored up for us in the fathomless depths of the Word of God. The well is deep; yet can faith's bucket reach its precious contents and bring them to the thirsty lip and yearning heart.

One of the greatest blessings that can come to the soul is to acquire the habit of sinking wells into the depth that lieth under, and to draw water for itself. We are too much in the habit of drinking water that others have drawn; and too little initiated into the sacred science of drawing for ourselves.

It is my growing conviction that it Christians would not attempt to read many chapters in the Bible daily, but would study what they do read more carefully, turning to the marginal references, reading the context, comparing Scripture with Scripture, endeavoring to get one or more complete thoughts from the mind of God, there would be a greater richness in their experience; more freshness in their interest in Scripture; more independence of men and means; more real enjoyment of the Word of the living God.

Oh! for a practical realization of what Jesus meant when he said:

The water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. - John 4:14

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F.B. Meyer has helped me find that living water and consistently points his readers to the Bible. The analysis here comes from only five of the twenty-four chapters in this priceless work of this godly man. You will no doubt find much more and growth in grace and love and in our Lord Jesus Christ.

In ev­ery time and place

Who serve the Lord most high,

Are called His so­ver­eign will to em­brace,

And still their own de­ny;

To follow His com­mand,

On earth as pil­grims rove,

And seek an un­dis­co­vered land,

And house, and friends ab­ove.

Father, the nar­row path

To that far coun­try show;

And in the steps of Ab­ra­ham’s faith

Enable me to go,

A cheer­ful so­journ­er

Where’er Thou bidd’st me roam,

Till, guid­ed by Thy Spir­it here,

I reach my heav­en­ly home.

Charles Wesley, 1707-1788

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