JUNE 2023 – DEVOTION
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF ABRAM (PART ONE)
“The God of Glory appeared unto our father Abraham” – Acts 7:2
TIME FRAME
Bible scholars maintain several possible timelines for Abram. But for simplicity's sake, let's say he lived around 2000 years before Jesus came to the world through Mary.
NATIVE LAND
He was from Ur of the Chaldees in Mesopotamia. Before Abram's day, it had been a sizeable prospering area South of Baghdad in present-day Iran, but during his lifetime was in decline.
HIS FAMILY
His father’s name was Terah; he lived for 205 years. Abram had two brothers, Nahor and Haran. Haran died before Abram left Ur (Genesis 11:28). However, he left behind a son named Lot (Genesis 11:27). Abram, which means ‘father is exalted,' married Sarai, which means princess. Consistent with the standard for the time, she was Abram’s half-sister (Genesis 20:12). She was also barren Genesis 11:30). Lot’s fatherlessness and Sarai’s barrenness probably were why Lot accompanied Abram on his journey.
HIS RELIGIOUS BACKGROUND
Ur was a worship center for the sun-god Sin, as ancient uncovered tablets revealed, and there is no known reason to believe Abram was a religious rebel. Lacking contrary evidence, we can assume Abram participated in the worship of this Semitic deity.
A SPECIAL DAY
From this background, we can only imagine what led to the day in Abram's life that would change his life and so much of recorded history. Of that unforgettable day, here is what else we know:
“The God of Glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran, And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall show thee” (Acts 7:2-3).
I wonder what that looked like to this pagan's eyes described in Scripture as the God of Glory appearing unto Him. We must guess for now as no further details are lacking. But the impact was such that this man obeyed. He left his native land and all that was familiar, including his extended family, and began that journey of faith with only scant information. What a day that was. And what a day it was when you, having encountered the God of Glory in whatever way He made Himself real to you, began your faith journey. Thank you, Lord, for invading my life and changing it forever as you did for Abram.
