It was not Abraham's idea to move from Ur in what is now southern Iraq. While he was there, God told him to leave what was familiar and go somewhere that he did not know (Genesis 12:1). The purpose was to make a great nation from that man.

For many people today, 'faith' is a personal means to tangible benefit. They say, 'Trust the Lord and your prayers will be answered'; or 'Believe God for God things and they will come to you'. But that is not the whole story of faith. Without qualification, those statements can be profoundly misleading, disappointing and faith-sapping .

As we grow up in the school of faith, the tests get harder. It was like that for Abraham. He had no Bible, Old or New Testament, no supportive group of faithful people around him. Perhaps God only spoke to him seven times over many years. In that time, Abraham got some things badly wrong, but he still trusted the Creator God and was willing to forsake the comfort of a settled life to find God's reward.

Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had done their job in faith, raising their family believing God's promises – that He was preparing a nation from one family. Jacob's new name was Israel (Genesis 32:28), and so the children of Israel were his sons and their descendants.