Already the media realise this could be an overplayed cliche: we hope it is a turning point but still too soon to say. What we read in Gen. 12 is certainly a turning point in history when the Lord called an Iraqi to travel a long journey a journey which was to have immense consequences for human history most of all for the Jews as Abraham's descendants by race and for you and me as Abraham's descendants by faith

1. The Lord calls and promises to bless

What Ab was called to was not a picnic or a holiday trip it was to a total redirection of his life leaving everything that seemed to give him security your country, your people and your father's household and for what? a land he did not yet know and a promise of multiple blessing I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you I will make your name great and you will be a blessing. "I will bless those who bless you and whoever curses you I will curse and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." What does 'bless' mean? To say and to do good to someone. With God who spoke creation into being the word of blessing is so close to the work of blessing. From our standpoint, this side of Easter and Pentecost we can see this promise fulfilled in so many ways maybe not yet completely but no doubt about it through Jesus Christ, Ab's descendant, there is blessing for all nations. So isn't it strange both that Ab believed in advance of all this and that we who see so much of the story unfold do not believe more? Ab may be said to be like someone climbing a mountain in the mist, only a few inches visible not knowing what is ahead but going in faith We see so much more of the map than Ab could see we know so much more of God's blessing in Christ: where's the response of obedient faith that matches Abraham? Where's our concept of God that sees him as big with blessing where's our confidence that God will keep his word and bless us?

But the journey is long

not simply the thousand miles from Babylonia to Canaan which was a long, difficult, dangerous journey on foot in those days the journey of faith is a long obedience in the same direction. Sometimes God seems close, and you are full of hope other times you have no particular feeling and there are times when you are weary, confused, fearful and wonder how long, Lord how long? The problems and the opponents become almost too much The length, hardship, the ups and downs of Ab's story in Genesis are there to remind us that faith is proved in 'long obedience' and in God being faithful even when we are not as can be seen in what happened in Egypt in vv 10-20 Full of fear instead of faith Ab tells a half truth about his wife pretends she is not married to him, exposes her to great risk.

Pharaoh comes out of that episode with more honour than Ab. When he finds out he expels them from Egypt much wealthier than when they came and undeserving of their escape. But then it is not that people in the Bible are perfect examples to us it is God who is more gracious than any of us deserves who keeps Ab in spite of his fear and folly.

How then can we sustain faith in the long term and not mess up? Clue in 7-8: Ab builds altars to the Lord & calls on the name of the Lord particularly in V 8 Ab pitched his tent - temporary provision in this life but built altars, more permanent provision for eternal life. Is it significant that there no altars in Egypt? Not that it was wrong for Ab to go to E. He is not to be blamed and scripture does not blame him for moving in response to famine but there were no altars in E and fear replaced faith. Only when he returns to Canaan do we see him again calling on the Lord (13.4) where he had first built an altar.

What does altar building mean in our situation? What used to be known as 'means of grace' ways of strengthening faith e.g. worshipping and sharing with other Christians regularly; sharing in the Lord's Supper as a speciflc aid to remembering Christ a regular discipline of private prayer and bible reading. These do not make us Christian but a Christian who neglects these will find that faith withers and fear and doubt flourish. The British Tory leader Wm. Hague is reported as claiming to prefer a walk in church service on Sunday morning; that's honest of him to say so but not spiritually wise. Johnny Cash tells of driving on tour early in singing career on a sunny Sunday morning past a church where service about to start 'Shall we go in?' his friend asked. 'No keep on driving' later on he wondered how his life might have been different how he might have avoided years of drink and other problems before coming through to a stable faith.

Have you committed yourself to that journey of faith? Have you said 'I will follow Jesus' whatever the cost, whatever they say? Then remember that God promises to bless you but real ise too that the journey is long and don't neglect the altars, opportunities to worship God while you have them opportunities for fellowship bible study personal prayer.

Lead us Lord to the place where you are calling us When we are uncertain teach us to trust you when we are afraid of how people will react teach us to do what is right when we are frustrated by circumstances, teach us to be patient Help us to keep in touch with you on the journey and to look forward to meeting you face to face

May God who is rich in mercy grant you all the blessings of Christ as you journey in faith and look forward to the heavenly city.