It was not an easy move for Abraham. He moved from a house to tent. There he had to learn to build his treasure in heaven and not on earth. He was no longer fixed in one spot where a local market or business was next-door. Now he had to find stability in God not in the systems of the world. He was now continually moving like a nomad for the rest of his life. In this, he learned that real rest is in God’s kingdom not man’s kingdom. He gave up ownership of land and buildings. He owned no land. All he had was a promise to own. He even had to buy a cave to bury his wife, Sarah.

Insights
When God calls us out of the world unto Himself, we are NOT to return to the same things we were called out of. Strange though, some of us desire to return the cities of our past. I am not talking about being drawn back to physical cities like Detroit, Seattle, or Los Angeles, but I am talking about us being drawn back to the ungodly conduct we were engaged in before we were saved.
Some of us want to return to where we were before met Christ. Why would someone want to do this? Maybe, their family no longer approves of their new lifestyle in Christ. They long for the past of peace.
Maybe they grew weary of the continual cry of the world for them to return to their old haunts and to their old ways . . . “come back.”
Some desire to return to the old ways because of the pressure of their friends or because the old ways seem more pleasant and easier. Others want to go back to what they remembered as “the good old times,” while failing to remember the bad things.
Some of want to go back to the familiar. There they don’t have to learn new ways. They don’t have to deal with their sin issues, or the sins of others. It seemed simpler then. You just do what you want to do.
But we have a better calling. We have been called out of the dark and evil ways of this world unto the light and life of the LORD. Our LORD did not call us out of this dark world so we would at some later date return to our old ways, like a dog returns to its own vomit.
He called us out of this world’s darkness unto His marvelous light so we can be His peculiar people and to show forth God’s praises.
Note Gen 12:7: When Abraham finally entered the Promised Land, he built an altar to honor God for His goodness. He also did this to remind himself of God’s rich promises not to go back to his old ways.
“And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, ‘Unto thy seed will I give this land’: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.” Likewise, God has called us out of this dark world to serve Him. We must not return to the cities we left behind.