“And he journeyed on from the Negeb as far as Bethel to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, to the place where he had made an altar at the first. And there Abram called upon the name of the Lord.” (Genesis 13:3-4 ESV).
After God rescued Abram from Pharaoh, having gone down to Egypt because of the famine, he returned to the old altar he had built near Bethel and Ai. There he once again called on the name of the Lord.
Abram had a habit of going “down to Egypt” whenever famine hit the land of Canaan. His descendants followed this habit. Although it may not always have been the case, “going down to Egypt” often represented dependence on the world rather than on God. Abram, whose name was later changed by God to Abraham, was a man of great faith, but he was also a man with all the shortcomings of humanity.
Abram did not stay in Egypt, but returned to the land to which the Lord had called him, even to the place of the altar which he had made at first. Perhaps the Bible refers to the “place,” because although Abram had returned, the altar had fallen into disrepair or had somehow been destroyed. Yet it seemed important to Abram that he return to the place of the altar he had made at first.
Sometimes we must return to first things in our relationship with the Lord in order to find our bearings again, especially when we have wandered off course.
In the letter that Jesus told John to write to the church at Ephesus, He warned that they had forsaken Him as their “first love” (Rev. 2:4). He instructed them to “repent and do the first works” again (Rev. 2:5).
With the beginning of this New Year, might we consider doing the same? Have we wondered off course and forsaken our first love? Let us return to the altar, worshiping the Lord again in first place.
PRAYER: Dear Father, our hearts are prone to wander, yet we would return to You. Forgive us when we lose our way and our zeal for Your calling on our lives. Strengthen us to always put You first. Thank You for Your love and calling on us. In Jesus’ name, amen.