It is remarkable that the God of glory has revealed Himself as the Father of glory (Eph. 1:17), as the Lord of glory (1 Cor. 2:8; Jas. 2:1) and as the Spirit of glory (1 Pet. 4:14). The God of glory, who called Abraham and attracted him to Himself, delivering him from idols, has also called us by drawing us to Himself, away from every form of idolatry. Abraham was led by the Lord to and throughout the land of Canaan, where he was surrounded by the worst forms of idolatry, but he was kept close to the Lord. In other words, he lived in true separation to God and from idols. An idol is something that replaces God in our affections.

The power of Abraham’s love not only separated him from idols, but also preserved him in true fellowship with God, who ultimately gave him and Sarah their promised son, Isaac. The lessons Abraham learned are for all believers to learn, as the early Christians did (1 Th. 1:9). What was their secret? It was love. Three times over, Scripture calls Abraham the friend or lover of God. Here we touch upon a mystery: God’s sovereignty—calling Abraham, leading him from Ur of the Chaldeans to and through the Promised Land, giving him Isaac—and Abraham’s own responsibility—expressed in his obedience, love, and trust in God—truly go together.

It is the same for us. On the one hand, there is God’s calling, leading, preservation, and blessing, while on the other, there is our response in true love to Him, in the obedience of faith, in separation from evil, and in dedication to the Lord of glory.