Abraham’s father, Terah, was traveling with his family to Canaan but stopped short and settled in Haran, where he later died. After Terah’s death, God called Abraham to continue the journey that his father had started. Abraham listened to God and moved into Canaan. It was
“the PLACE he was supposed to be.” He was prosperous and successful in Canaan. He had a son, Isaac, who lived in Canaan all of his life. Isaac, too, was prosperous and successful, continually walking in the favor and blessing of God. Canaan was “the PLACE he was supposed to be.” Isaac had a son name Jacob who lived in Canaan most of his life. He was prosperous and successful because he was in “the PLACE he was supposed to be.” But, something happened that made Jacob (Israel) and his family move from Canaan to Egypt… an unfortunate circumstance… a famine.
Had God called Jacob to move to Egypt? No. Canaan was “the PLACE he was supposed to be.” Yes, Egypt had the things he and his family needed (food and provision), but he was never told to leave the place God had called his grandfather Abraham to.
You know the rest of the story, right? Israel’s descendants, who were once blessed and prosperous living in Canaan (the PLACE they were supposed to be) soon became slaves in Egypt (the PLACE they weren’t supposed to be). The Israelites endured hundreds of years of slavery because they left the PLACE of God’s blessing and favor. Just imagine that! There were Israelites whose fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers never knew anything but slavery, even though they were descendants of some of the richest men on earth… the Patriarchs! But, God raised up Moses to tell Pharaoh, “Let my people GO!” Where were they going to? Back to Canaan Land… The Promised Land… THE PLACE THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE!
Here’s what we learn from this story. If you will stay in the PLACE God wants you to be you will be blessed and have favor. If you choose to move from the PLACE God wants you to be you will, most likely, endure hardship and difficulty, but God will reach out to you to show you a way to get back to “the PLACE you’re supposed to be.”
1 Chronicles 17:9
Also I will ordain a PLACE for my people Israel, and will plant them, and they shall dwell in their place, and shall be moved no more….
