When Abram left Haran to go to Canaan, where God had called him, he was rich. We know that he had herdsmen (13:7), at least 318 men that were trained in fighting (14:14), and men that were born in his house and bought with money (17:12). Add in the families of these men, and he would easily have over a thousand people that traveled with him and that he was in charge of.
All this wealth, power, and respect could cause Abram to rely on his own ability as he traveled through foreign lands. He could depend on his men to fight to keep him safe and on his flocks to provide ample food for everyone. He could play the role of the mighty leader, bringing his people to a new land. He could look out with pride at all he had accomplished and accumulated.
Instead, he followed the Lord’s word and commands, building altars along the way on his journey. There was no central place of worship yet, and the people in the lands they traveled through worshipped other gods. But these altars were not just a place of worship- they were to commemorate times when the Lord spoke to Abram and to serve as visible reminders that God was in charge, not Abram, no matter how rich or powerful he was- God was in charge, and Abram was in submission to him.
There are times when I find myself relying on my wisdom or trying to build up my ego, or when pride starts to take over, and I start to crave the attention of others. These are the times when I need to remember to “build an altar” and put God back in his proper place- and put myself back in my proper place. Sometimes, I need a visible reminder that God is in charge, not me.
Do you ever find yourself in that position, too? If so, build an altar, worship, remember, and submit, just as Abram did.
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