Seeking Favour from Nanna

In ancient times, the city of Ur, from which Abraham and his family came, was a seat of idol worship, and one of the many gods that were idolized at that time was called Nanna, the moon god. It was Nanna that the people of Ur sought for the success of their crops, the fertility of their herds and the protection of their families. Those ancient people lived their lives seeking favour from Nanna.

Then Joshua addressed all the people:

“This is what God, the God of Israel, says: A long time ago your ancestors, Terah and his sons Abraham and Nahor, lived to the east of the River Euphrates. They worshiped other gods.” – Joshua 24:2 (MSG)

We can speculate that at that time, Abraham, following the religious customs of the day and those of his father Terah, may also have practiced idol worship. He too may have been seeking favour from Nanna but then something incredible happened to Abraham in the midst of paganism, he heard the voice of God...

“Abram, get up and go! Leave your country. Leave your relatives and your father’s home, and travel to the land I will show you. Don’t worry—I will guide you there. I have plans to make a great people from your descendants. And I am going to put a special blessing on you and cause your reputation to grow so that you will become a blessing and example to others.” – Genesis 12:1-2 (The Voice)

The greatest expression of God’s favour is His salvation!

Like with Abraham, our salvation is not based on anything we do that would merit us God’s favour. Like Abraham, God saves us even when we are in the midst of sin, for His Word clearly states that it was while we were still sinners that Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).

The fact that this ancient god Nanna was also named Sin is not wasted on irony. God removed Abraham from the worship of Sin into a new way of life – leaving everything that was familiar to him behind to begin life anew. Isn’t that what our own path of salvation dictates? The favour of God on Abraham’s life was determined long before he was called, favour that no ersatz deity could bestow. 

God’s favour is beyond our comprehension. God extends His unequivocal favour to all who have faith in Him. God wants to amaze you with His goodness toward you. He wants you to delight in Him so that He can give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4). The favour of a moon god can never compare to the favour of God on your life. Further more we are to have faith in the Creator, not the created.

The Bible does not tell us whether or not Abraham had any prior knowledge of the Only One True God but he certainly obeyed God’s call when it came. God told him to go and he went. For the most part Abraham stayed in faith and walked into God’s blessings. We’re not called to follow Abraham’s failures but rather to pattern our lives according to the faith he had in God.

“It was faith that made Abraham obey when God called him to go out to a country which God had promised to give him. He left his own country without knowing where he was going.” – Hebrews 11:8 (GNT)

Abraham had faith to believe, trust, and obey God and, immediately stopped seeking favour from Nanna. God blessed him exponentially, and will do the same for us when we seek His Kingdom and His righteousness above all else…

Seeking Favour from Nanna

Shelley Johnson © Thursday January 4, 2018