Let It Go

January 18, 2022

Have you ever heard the statement, “You can take the boy out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the boy?”  It is a sentiment that would work for many other scenarios as well: “You can take the animal out of the wild, but you can’t take the wild out of the animal;” or in the case of the old TV show Green Acres, “You can take the lady out of the city, but you can’t take the city out of the lady.” The idea behind the statement is that while you can change the setting, you cannot change the nature.

It is interesting is it not, how our nature tends to stay pretty consistent throughout our lives.  If you spend your formative years, assuming you greatly appreciated the culture there, you most likely will continue to exhibit similar characteristics and even colloquialisms in whatever location/setting you find yourself throughout the rest of your life.

Abram was no different. He grew up in Ur. He was a chip off of the old block. At least, everyone thought so. He had grown up in a land where idol worship was prominent and in a time when people did not usually venture far from the land in which they were born. Yet, he received a call. Not on his iPhone or Droid . . . not on his landline . . . but the call of God upon his life to move.

This call had to be very uncomfortable. He was to leave his hometown, his family, and his people, and go to a strange land. It would seem that wherever he would go though, that he would retain his identity as Abram of Ur of Chaldea. Yet, God, through time, situations, and some trials would eventually take Ur of Chaldea out of Abram. This process would not be necessarily easy. It would require him to routinely place his trust in God’s provision. Yet, by the end of his life, Ur had been removed from him.

I wonder how often we have some of Ur remaining in us. Do we worship the gods of safety, security, family, money, etc.? Or, do we trust God when He says that He will provide? Do we have to have it easy and immediately? Or are we willing to go through some trials and situations over a period of time so that the nature God wants us to have is firmly rooted and the old is removed? Has God brought you out of your old life, or are you holding onto your old life? Is so, let go. Trust God . . . over and over so that the Ur of your life will be removed and you will be ready to enter the promised land.