The experience was traumatizing because, at that time, people were not really accustomed to leaving their birthplace or family unless under major circumstances. God’s command forced Abraham to make a painful choice between the comfort of his daily life and God. His relationship with God had to start with a first step: leaving his comfort zone, his habits, and daring to follow God.

The separation was not only physical but also emotional (Genesis 12). Leaving one’s “country” for us today does not necessarily mean a physical separation, but a change of focus. To leave everything is to renounce oneself to follow Jesus.

“Then he said to all: If anyone wants to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23).

Renouncing one’s desires and personal ambitions to let him take the reins of our life is the first step in the right direction. When Abraham left his country to follow God, he did not have a plan B. He invested everything in the new direction to follow. To become a friend of God, one must leave everything to follow him. This is also the experience of Jesus’ disciples, as Peter’s testimony proves:

“Peter answered him, ‘We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?’” (Matthew 19:27).

Notice this well: they did not leave some things while keeping others. No, they left everything to follow him, just like Abraham. This is where things get tough, in the “leaving everything.” You can be a child of God, a pastor, a singer, etc., without ever having left everything. God asks for our everything in exchange for his friendship. Often, we hear people claiming the promises of the Bible based on their knowledge, asserting that they will receive abundant material blessings.

However, a careful examination of the Word shows us that the verse they refer to is intended for those who have truly abandoned everything to follow Jesus, without any guarantee of what the future holds:

“Jesus said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel’” (Matthew 19:28).

This text is an excerpt from the book “GIVE YOURSELF COMPLETELY TO GOD!” written by OMER KABUYA.

We invite you to read the following article “FIVE ATTRIBUTES OF A FRIENDSHIP RELATIONSHIP.”