The call from heaven first came to Abraham while he dwelt in "Ur of the Chaldees" and in obedience to it he removed to Haran. Thus far his father's family accompanied him, for with their idolatry they united the worship of the true God. Here Abraham remained till the death of Terah. But from his father's grave the divine Voice bade him go forward. His brother Nahor with his household clung to their home and their idols. Besides Sarah, the wife of Abraham, only Lot, the son of Haran long since dead, chose to share the patriarch's, pilgrim life. Yet it was a large company that set out from Mesopotamia. Abraham already possessed extensive flocks and herds, the riches of the East, and he was surrounded by a numerous body of servants and retainers. He was departing from the land of his fathers, never to return, and he took with him all that he had, "their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran." Among these were many led by higher considerations than those of service and self-interest. During their stay in Haran, both Abraham and Sarah had led others to the worship and service of the true God. These attached themselves to the patriarch's household, and accompanied him to the land of promise. "And they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came."

Der er stadig mange, der stilles på prøve ligesom Abraham. De hører ikke Guds stemme tale til dem direkte fra Himmelen, men han kalder dem gennem sit ords undervisning og sit forsyns styrelse. Der forlanges måske af dem, at de skal opgive en karriere med udsigt til rigdom og ære; at de skal afbryde behagelige og indbringende forbindelser med andre mennesker og skilles fra slægtninge for at begive sig ud på, hvad der ser ud til blot at være en selvfornægtelsens, prøvelsens og opofrelsens vej. Gud har en gerning, de skal gøre; men et liv i magelighed og under venners og slægtninges indflydelse ville hindre udviklingen af netop de karaktertræk, der er af betydning for gerningens udførelse. Gud kalder dem bort fra menneskelig indflydelse og hjælp og lader dem føle behovet for sin hjælp og for at stole udelukkende på ham, så han kan åbenbare sig for dem. Hvem er rede, når Gud kalder, til at give afkald på længe nærede planer og kendte omgivelser? Hvem vil påtage sig nye forpligtelser, betræde ukendte områder og gøre Guds gerning med et beslutsomt og villigt hjerte og for Kristi skyld regne sine tab for vinding? Den, der vil gøre det, har Abrahams tro og vil med ham dele "uden mål og måde en evig vægt af herlighed" så at "det, vi lider her i tiden, ikke er værd at regne i sammenligning med den herlighed, som skal åbenbares på os". 2. Kor. 4, 17; Rom. 8, 18.