Pulling a Terah

Genesis 11:31 Terah took his son Abram, his daughter-in-law Sarai, and his grandson Lot (his son Haran's child) and left Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan. But they stopped instead at the village of Haran and settled there. 32Terah lived for 205 years [fn5] and died while still at Haran.


As I climb into 2011, I am not sure what to expect.  Journeying thru 2010 was,undoubtedly, the most difficult and extraordinary adventure thus far.  I am left to ponder how 2011 could "top" the circumstances of 2010: experiencing the near death of my eleven year old daughter and God's miraculous intervention, leaving nearly all our worldly possessions behind in a remote corner of Fiji and moving back to the US unexpectedly.....regrouping as a family after being scattered across the continents and starting over.  
   
2010 was also filled with the kindness of strangers, friends,and family during lengthy hospital stays, and our US transition from Fiji and insertion back into the American culture. Looking back, we believe that ministering in Fiji was part of our spiritual journey towards Canaan; we took this step of faith and learned so much about ourselves and our God.  So now, how does living in the US become part of our Canaanite journey? I believe the choices we make in 2011 with our time and our resources will answer this question. 


The American lifestyle can be insidiously seamless - no strange foods, no homicidal Fijian bus drivers, no one asking why we are choosing to live in a foreign land or challenging our faith.  Yet it is this insane level of comfort that could ultimately be our undoing.  It was for Abraham's dad.  Even though we are still spiritual sojourners, it would be so easy to "pull a Terah".   We could stop and settle, acquire, and never move on to "deep-er-ness". 


The comfort of Haran consumed Terah and he died at the pit-stop.  Easy to do.  It is harder to push and challenge and step out of our faith comfort zones when settling into a safe ho hum routine is an option.  I pray that I would not die "while still at Haran", but that I would pick up my cross daily, challenge myself, and journey forward to the Promised Land as a dangerous maiden willing to lay down my life by putting to death my fleshly desires.  Happy New Year!