Lessons Out Of Abraham

WED., OCT. 6, 1993, 8:57 AM
OFFICE, PULLIAM HALL

Another morning discussion stemming from that story of My servant Abraham has concluded, and you are here in a quiet office, with the morning sun full and warm. A plane trip looms, with an unpredictable reunion event as the focal evening. There shall be opportunities to speak of spiritual matters, some quite obvious and others that shall be evident only if you are aware. But you shall hear Me before you really fly away, so I shan’t say more about that now.

As you read and study about these truly Old Testament characters, of note, you aren’t quite sure how to react. Noah was righteous, and was picked to renew humankind because of this. Yet after he was faithful in doing the difficult, bizarre tasks I asked of him he got drunk and then proclaimed an unnecessary curse. So “My man” had some taint to his righteousness. Abram also was chosen to start the “chosen people” of God (a parochial happening important, in some ways, to your faith, but not important to most of the rest of humankind nor to My relationships with them). Some of his reported actions make him seem less than perfect, even in his faithfulness.

Thus, you will not conclude that I’m a “bad chooser,” even from “the early days,” though that is one possibility. You prefer the judgment that righteousness is not a matter of perfect, ideal conduct, but merely a result of My designation. I created humans to be perfectly imperfect, from the beginning and to the present time. This can be a reinforcement, then, to your acceptance of having been chosen into righteousness. You are in a long line of those chosen for a task, even as it is miniscule compared to those of Noah and Abram. It shall not be celebrated or even remembered (save by a few), but it is what I, the Holy Spirit, ask of you in these latter years of your life and career.

Abram liked the promise that I, as Jehovah, was making to him. I would have liked him to be a bit more humble, but I accepted him as he was. It is My Way that once I have chosen a servant the continued relationship is not dependent on ideal behavior. You still have your will, but I can influence it and push you toward what I want, despite some reluctance on your part. Your will is far from an all-or-none gift. I often let humans make mistakes, individually or in groups… even nations… but My Will is never really thwarted. I enjoy this continual balancing.

I didn’t call you in the direct way that Genesis tells that I did with Abram. Yet remember that this Scripture is written in retrospect, based on a story told and retold. In a somewhat like retrospect you could claim… and why don’t you?… that I called you, in your working life, from Hawaii to California, and then, when you were ready, to this place for the bulk of your teaching career and for the possession of this Farm that is so important to your life. As all of this was happening you didn’t recognize, acknowledge, and feel such a call, but Abram wasn’t as responsive at the time as he was, in retrospect. I had to come to him repeatedly, in ways even more direct and dramatic than these Teachings.