In the case of Abraham, he lived in tents – in tabernacles our King James Version calls it – with his son and his grandchildren. He was in the land of Canaan, but he was not of the land of Canaan. Abraham was called to go out, and we go out of this present world, leaving behind our former commitment to all our worldly delights, and we live for the Lord. You have come to Christ and trusted him. Do you still cling on to the trappings of the world? Do you still keep hold of your worldly places of entertainment, your worldly music? Do you hold on to these things? You are still half in the world – that is a tragedy. If you have seen Christ and you have come to him, you gave him your life entirely. You separated from this sinful passing world and all the things that are designed by worldlings to promote sin. Yes, there is some good culture in the world, which is not promoting rebellion against God and sexual liberty, but the whole pop scene, which is dedicated to that you have to leave. It doesn't matter if there are some nice melodies. It doesn't matter if some of the rhythms fire you up and lift your spirit: it is wrong for you. You don't want to be clawed back, you want to win people to Christ and be used of the Holy Spirit, so you leave those worldly things. And you start the journey of faith for Christ, and in his service.
How hard it would have been humanly for Abraham to set off on that long journey with his family, with his servants, with his animals, not knowing what lay ahead, stepping forward in faith, trusting entirely in the God who had made himself known to him. And that is how we proceed in the Christian life, and as you trust him you will know him. He will prove himself to you; you will put yourself at his disposal. He will give you power over your sin to help you. You will have knowledge and spiritual faculties. He will do so much for you.
When we come to Christ we turn ourselves over to a life which is unseen by us. What will happen to us? How will things work out? If I am young, I say to myself, who will be my husband or my wife? But I know that all these things will be in God's hands. He will lead me on, he will chart out my life. Remember the words of Edward Bickersteth’s hymn: ‘Peace, perfect peace, our future all unknown? Jesus we know, and he is on the throne.’