Your Children Are Watching You!

In Genesis 11 we are given the genealogy of Abraham and told his father, Terah, intended to lead his family from Ur to the land of Canaan. The journey to Canaan was embarked upon but for some reason, a reason we are not given in Scripture, he stopped in Haran and never completed the journey. Had God called Terah to go to Canaan? Did his disobedience mean some part of God's purpose for Terah's life went unfulfilled? Did Terah's failure to complete the journey teach Abraham the consequences of a life in which one does not follow a call or vision given from God? Or was Terah being obedient to God when he stopped in Haran? Was God stopping Terah because God wanted Abraham himself to have the faith building journey to Canaan? It is interesting to consider such questions as we "read between the lines" and meditate upon the Scriptures.

We know Abraham was watching his father's life and learning important life lessons as he did. Terah's decision not to follow through on his plans would certainly have been on the mind of Abraham when he received his call from God to head to Canaan. How fortunate to learn from the mistakes and shortcomings of those who go before us! How much more fortunate to learn from the faithfulness, righteousness and good decisions of those who go before us!

Your children are watching you today and learning important life lessons as they do. Consider your words, actions and decisions carefully. How much better for your children to learn from those things you do right rather than from those which you do wrong!

James