Foreign life of Abraham

Gen 12:1-9 Foreign life of Abraham
Let me ask you a question. "Have you come here Canada because God told you to go ? Or have you come here because someone told you to go, or because you wanted to come here ? Did your foreign life start from the omniscient God or from an incapable human ?"
In today's scripture, we can see that the foreign life of Abraham started from God. When Abraham was 75 years old and his wife Sarah was 65 years old, God told him, "Abraham. leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you." (Gen 12:1)
Usually those who want to immigrate try to collect much information on the country that they want to go, in order to accomplish their purpose as soon as possible. I also tried to collect the information on Canada and Calgary before I came here Canada. Collecting information is very important to accomplish the purpose. So people who want to immigrate ask for information and they like to listen to the advice and the story of experience from the other immigrants.
But Abraham did not know about the country that he would immigrate. his foreign life started only from God. Humanly speaking, the start of his foreign life was full of danger. We can guess it was really difficult decision for Abraham to immigrate into the foreign country when he was 75 years old and his wife was 65 years old.
Brothers and sisters, when we live in this foreign country, we sometimes miss our native country and our parent, friends and Korean food such as Jajangmyon. And when we face difficulties in this foreign land, we sometimes think, "Why have I come here ? I wish to go back to Korea !"
We can see some Koreans went back to Korea from Canada and America because of the hardship of foreign life. But why do we not go back to Korea even though we face a lot of difficulties in this foreign land ? Is it because of children's education ? Or is it because you are too old to find a new job or to start a new business in Korea ? Or is it because of the tightness of Korean society ? Or you have any other reason that you cannot say ? Or you think you have not accomplished your purpose yet ?
If your foreign life started from yourself, you yourself have to decide whether or not you go back to Korea especially when you face difficulties in this foreign land. But if your foreign life started from God, you will do your best to accomplish the purpose of God even under the difficulties, and you will try to listen to the decision of God.
Abraham also faced a famine in the foreign land even though God had told him to go, and even though God promised Abraham, "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." (Gen 12:2)
At that time it was better for him to ask God, "Lord, you told me to go. But what is this famine ? What shall I do ? Do I have to leave here or not ?" But Abraham did not ask God. He went down to Egypt for food and better circumstance. Before he went to Egypt, he built an altar to God and worshiped God faithfully. But he forgot to build an altar in Egypt.
As a result, he faced a big trouble that his wife Sarah was taken to be Pharaoh's wife. Because of this, Abraham realized, "Aha, it is worse for me to follow circumstance. I have to listen to the voice of God when I face difficulties in this foreign land !"
Abraham went out from Egypt by God's help and came to Bethel, where he built an altar again and called on the name of the Lord. He became more faithful man. But he faced another problem. When Abraham left his country, God told him, "Leave your father's household."
But Abraham took his nephew Lot with him because Lot's father had died early, and Abraham thought, "Lot is pitiful and good to my foreign life. But this thinking made Abraham's future worse. The foreign land became too small for Abraham and Lot, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay together. And quarreling arose between Abraham's herdsmen and the herdsmen of Lot.
Then Abraham realized again, "Aha, That's why God told me to leave your father's household. This quarreling has arisen because I had disobeyed God's command !"
Brothers and sisters, the command of God, "Leave your father's household." seemed to be unrealistic and unreasonable at the first time. And it was hard for Abraham to obey it. Abraham might think at the first time, "Lord, Lot is very helpful to my foreign life !"
But what was result ? Lot did not become helpful to Abraham but big burden to him. God allowed only Abraham to immigrate. God did not allow Lot to immigrate. That's why the situation became worse to them.
Brothers and sisters, don't you remember this scripture, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isa 55:8-9)
Brothers and sisters, keep this in your mind. God's immigration plan is better and higher than mine. Therefore don't make immigration plan by yourself. But ask God's plan and obey it. That is much much better. But remember. sometimes God's plan seems to be unrealistic and unreasonable first. But later we realize like Abraham, "Aha, God's plan is higher than mine. God is superior to me !" If we know this and obey God, we are blessed persons. Therefore pray, "Lord, let us follow your plan !"
After that, as God had promised, Abraham had a son Isaac when he was 100 years old and his wife was 90 years old. God's promise took 25 years to be accomplished. Don't you think it was too long time to wait ? Sometimes we ask God, "Lord, let your promise be accomplished as soon as possible. Or our hair becomes silver, and we might be dejected."
Brothers and sisters, think. Abraham made some mistakes until he had a son Isaac. Once he doubted God's power an asked, "Lord, you have given me no children ; so a servant Eliezer in my household will be my heir." (Gen 15:3) And Abraham took a maid servant Hagar as his concubine and had a son Ishmael by her.
Just like Abraham, we sometimes doubt God's promise when it is not accomplished soon. But don't turn your back on God. Don't say, "God's promise is impossible." God's promise will be accomplished when the time fully comes. And our foreign life will end in blessing and success. And our children will say, "Our parents lived a faithful life in this foreign land."
Abraham's wife Sarah died in the foreign land at the age of 127. And 38 years later, Abraham also died in the foreign land at the age of 175. Their foreign life ended with 100 years. And their son Isaac succeeded their foreign life.
Brothers and sisters, someday our foreign life will end. And we will be buried in this foreign land like Abraham and Sarah. And our children will succeed us in this foreign land. I pray that we do our best for our foreign life until we go to the kingdom of heaven, until we are buried in this foreign land. And I hope God says to us, "Come here and take a rest !"