(Genesis 11:31- 12:5)
This is the story of 2 men, Father and Son.
Terah and Abraham.
Terah had 3 sons, Abraham, Haran and Nahor. They were living in Ur of the Chaldeans. Abraham, Haran and Nahor got married, Haran’s wife gave him a son he named Lot.
Unfortunately, Abraham’s wife (Sarah) was barren.
One day, Terah decided to relocate from Ur of the Chaldeans where he had lived for decades to the Land of Canaan. Before they left, they informed their friends, neighbors, business associates and partners they were relocating.
People asked, “Woah! Where are you guys relocating to?”
They replied, “We are relocating to the Land of Canaan”.
The people threw a Send Off Party for them and wished them well.
So, Terah and his family got on their donkeys, camels and caravans on the long, slow journey…..but halfway into the journey, they got to a town called Haran. And for whatever reason, Terah decided to settle there instead.
He decided not to continue the journey to the Land of Canaan. We don’t know why he decided to reduce his vision, but we have all found ourselves at this situation at some point in our lives.
We would aim for Gold but settle for Bronze.
I have a 10 year old Daughter who told me she was contesting for the Sports Prefect of her School. She did and she won. I asked her younger brother who is 7, “your sister is now the Sports Prefect of your School. When you get to Primary 6, what Prefect will you go for?”
He replied, “Deputy Head Boy!”
I asked, “Why Deputy Head Boy? Why not the Head Boy?”
He replied, “The Deputy Head Boy would be EASIER for me to get!”
I didn’t like that!
Why aim for LESS?
Why settle for LESS?
It takes a very strong DETERMINATION to aim for anything and get it! There WILL be discouragements on the way, there WILL be SANBALLAT and TOBIAH who will attempt to hinder us from achieving our goals. The ONUS is on US to develop a STRONG DETERMINATION to excel inspite of ANY challenge!
Some years ago, Nigeria went for the Africa Cup of Nations. We had a very good squad we believed could lift the Trophy, but we fell to Algeria at the Semi-Finals. We eventually won the Bronze Medal after defeating Tunisia. Then the Chairman of the Nigeria Football Federation said, “Well, at least it’s SOMETHING!”
I felt TERRIBLE when I heard that! It’s SOMETHING??? NO!!!! It’s NOT good enough!
The GOAL is CANAAN! Don’t settle for HARAN!
Terah eventually died in Haran and was buried there.
Then Abraham decided to continue the journey to Canaan.
I absolutely LOVE the way Scripture couched it: “And Abraham took Sarah his wife and Lot his brother’s son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; AND INTO THE LAND OF CANAAN THEY CAME”!
That shows DETERMINATION on Abraham’s part, something his father Terah seemed to lack.
We read a similar story in 1st Samuel Chapter 9. some donkeys belonging to a man called Kish were missing, so he sent his son, Saul to go look for them.
Scripture says, “And he passed through mount Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalisha, but they found them not: then they passed through the land of Shalim, and there they were not: and he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they found them not.
And when they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant that was with him, Come, and let us return; lest my father leave caring for the asses, and take thought for us.” -Verses 4-5.
That is like looking for donkeys in Lagos and going as far as Ibadan!
That showed DETERMINATION.
The average young man today will NOT go more than 200 meters before going back home: “Dad, I didn’t find them!”
No DETERMINATION!
To go far in life, to fulfil destiny and make a mark on this planet, we need STRONG DETERMINATION. We need to aim HIGH and NOT lose focus or be discouraged until we get it.
That is why I encouraged my son NOT to settle for the Deputy Head Boy Position- go for the HEAD BOY POSITION!
You are MY SON, boy!- a LION can only give birth to a LION, not a PUSSYCAT!
Shalom,
Haruna Daniels.