Stopped Instead

"Terah took his son Abram, his daughter-in-law Sarai, and his grandson Lot 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.  Terah lived for 205 years and died while still at Haran." 
Genesis 11:31-32

I had a grand vision.  Each and every item on the shelves categorized, organized, and prioritized. Dirt and dust removed. Window scrubbed. Floor immaculate. Tools in their places with bright shiny faces.  After all, a man's garage is his kingdom. The plan continued to take shape as the summer days rolled on by. Unfortunately, distractions and excuses mounted with each passing day. The plan never went forward. I stopped instead.

We aren't told why Abraham's daddy decided to got to Canaan, only that he did.  We aren't told why he "stopped instead", only that he did.  He "died while still at Haran."  Hmm ... Given that God showed up after he died and told his son to leave Haran and then promised him Canaan for his descendants, it makes one wonder.  Did God tell Terah to go to Canaan?  Was he supposed to be the first of God's chosen people instead of his son Abraham?  Maybe, maybe not.

We don't know all the details of Terah's journey, but we do know what it means to "stop instead".  I'm fairly confident that each and every one of us has some unfinished business in our lives.  Steps of faith we need to take.  Conversations we need to have. Dreams left unpursued. Responsibilities we're yet to fulfill.  Failures we're not willing acknowledge ... The options are endless. Wouldn't it be so much better for our life's story to end with "finished strong" and died while "in pursuit"?
       
Grace and Peace,

Tom

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