13th chapter records Abraham’s return
to Canaan. He left from Egypt and he
journeys back to Canaan. This was
Abraham’s attempt at bouncing back
from failure.
Remove yourself from the place of
struggle (Gen. 13:1-4)
Henry Ford said that “Failure is only the
opportunity to begin again, only this
time more wisely”. Mary Pickford (co-
founder of the film studio United Artists
and one of the original 36 founders of
the Academy of Motion Picture Arts
and Sciences) describes failure as not
falling down but she says, “staying
down is failure”. Abraham failed in the
face of a famine and then he failed in
Egypt. Abraham, however, didn’t stay
down after failing. We are exposed to
how Abraham left Egypt - the place of
his failure. We witness here that it was
an immediate removal as well as an
inclusive removal.
The events of chapter 13 are absent a time
that indicates exactly when Abraham
left Egypt. It however, opens up a new
episode in Abraham’s life immediately
following the conclusion of the previous
episode. With that being the case,
you can conclude that after the failure
in Egypt that Abraham immediately
removes himself from the place of
failure. Ron Edmonson pastor of the
Immanuel Baptist Church in Lexington,
KY writes in his blog 7 ways to recover
after a major failure or mistake, says
in one of his steps that, “you have to
change directions”. The indication from
the actions of Abraham in this text is
that after failure he decided to change
directions. The lesson here is that
after experiencing failure immediately
change direction. Don’t linger in the
place of failure. Immediately change
direction. Don’t mope over your failure.
Immediately change direction. Don’t
rehearse your failure. Immediately
change direction.
Abraham’s removal process was
inclusive as evidenced in the 1st verse of
the 13th chapter – as it lists the names of
those that Abraham took with him out
of Egypt. Abraham did not leave anyone
or anything that was connected to him
behind. He placed distance between
himself and the place of his failure.
Abraham took everything so that there
was no need to return to that place. The
lesson is that if you are going to bounce
back from failure, you can’t go back.
It is the grace of God given to Abraham
that shows him that despite his failure,
things could have been worse if not for
God’s grace. Abraham is seen now in
this text returning to the place where
God had sent him. Canaan represented
the perfect will of God. Abraham
enjoyed the feeling of hearing the voice
of God and being in the presence of God
(this was successful) so he goes back to
Canaan. He goes back to the place of
God’s will. He leaves from being in the
will to being out of the will. Now he
is leaving from being out of the will to
getting back in the will of God. When
you have failed you must make sure that
you get in the will of God.
We also see that Abraham did not
leave Sarah his wife behind (who was
the one who would bear the promised
child).
Sarah represents potential.
Unfortunately, in Abraham’s failure
while in Egypt he was threatened to lose
her. However, in contrast he brings her
along with him out away from the place
where he failed. Abraham’s actions say
that although I failed, I’m not going to
leave my potential in my failure. If you Canaan also represents the place of
are going to bounce back from your God’s worship. The text gives a GPS
failure, don’t lose your potential.
location on Abraham’s return to Canaan
and it identifies that he travels as far as
Return to the place of success
Bethel to the place between Bethel and
God gave Abraham grace and allowed Ai - to the place where he had made an
him to escape the evil that could altar. Abraham left Egypt and made his
have befallen him in Egypt. We can way back to Bethel. The word Bethel in
assume that Abraham experienced the Hebrew language means the House
embarrassment and disappointment of God. Therefore, Abraham after failing
from the failure. No doubt there was made his way back to the House of God.
a disdain for the feeling that failing When he was in Canaan there at Bethel
produced. So Abraham returns to the he built an altar and called on the name
place of success. The Bible depicts that of God. In contrast, while in Egypt he
Abraham returned to Canaan. We never built an altar. The altar there at
witness here that this is a place of success Bethel in Canaan represents worship.
because it is the place of God’s Will and Hence, he worshipped in the House
it is the place of God’s Worship.
of the Lord. While in Egypt there was
no worship because there was no altar.
Canaan was the place of God’s Will There was no praying in Egypt. There
(Gen. 12:1 “unto a land that I will show was no calling on the Lord God while
you” Gen. 12:7 “Unto your seed I will in Egypt. After failing Abraham returns
give this land.”). God had sent and to the House of God to get back in the
guided Abraham to the land of Canaan. presence of God.
Canaan is where God wanted Abraham.
There was an extreme famine that arises Rededicate yourself to the Sovereign
in the land and Abraham leaves the land God
of Canaan (Gen. 12:10) and goes down The second clause of the 4th verse in
to Egypt. Although there was an extreme chapter 13 is the pinnacle of bouncing
famine in the land, it was still the place back after failure. It reveals the actions of
where God wanted him to be. We must Abraham after he removed himself from
learn that being in God’s will does not the place of his struggle and returned
mean that you will not experience trials to the place of success; the text records
in your life. Canaan is the place of God’s when he got there that he called on the
will. Therefore, when Abraham leaves name of the Lord. Abraham, therefore,
Canaan he is leaving the will of God. rededicates himself to the Sovereign
When he left the will of God he made a God. Abraham calls on the name of the
bad decision and bad things happened. Lord. We witness here that Abraham