Journey

This is the story of a man whose actions almost destroyed a country. He was also a man with whom God created a covenant.
Abraham (Abram) was a man who had been called out of his homeland by God to journey to a place that He would show him. His home city of Ur, and his family's later dwelling city of Haran/Harran were both centers known for their temples dedicated to moon worship, particularly to a god called Sin, who was associated with that form of worship. The most common symbol of this moon worship was a crescent moon.
"Now the LORD had said to Abram: Get out of your country, from your family and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse (bitterly curse) him who curses (make light of, trifle, dishonor) you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."   Gen. 12:1-3
The two mentions of "curse" in the above verses, while the same in English, are two different words in  Hebrew. The first mention, for those who dishonor Abram, is much more severe. In a certain way, I would also think that this puts an even greater onus on Abram (and us). Imagine if Abram's own behavior caused others to disrespect or slight him?
The above verses are the first mention of the covenant that God made with Abram. Abram did go into Canaan with his wife, and his nephew Lot. Abraham left most of his family in the pagan city of Haran, but brought with him the possessions, and people (souls) that he had acquired there, and journeyed to the land to which God was directing him.
Abram journeyed through Canaan until he got to Shechem (to load a burden on the back or shoulder), and the terebinth tree (strong tree, ram as food and sacrifice, pillar, door post, lintels) of Moreh (teacher, early rain, watered, to direct or instruct, to shoot arrows). The LORD appeared to Abram here, and promised to give this land to Abram and his descendants (v. 7). From all of the meanings of the places in Canaan to which Abram journeyed, we are perhaps given a portrait of a humble, crucified Christ, who subjected Himself to the will of His Father. Even the Hebrew meaning of the word "Canaan" makes it a place of either humbling oneself, a place of bowing the knee, to bring oneself into subjection, or to be severely humbled by God, or by others, even vanquished.
Abram continued his journey and pitched his tent (ohel:covering, tabernacle, to be clear, to shine) between Bethel (House of God: ram for food/sacrifice, doorpost and lintel) and Ai (heap of ruins, overturned, iniquity, perversity, crooked, wicked). In this place, Abram built an altar, and called upon the name of the LORD. Could it be that Abram was positioned between these two places, between the place of iniquity and perversity, and the house of the ram's provision and sacrifice, in order to act as an intercessor?
However, Abram journeyed again to the south (negev: parched), where he found extreme famine conditions. Because of these conditions, he journeyed on to Egypt. Abram was evidently familiar enough with Egypt to know that the Egyptians at that time coveted beautiful women, and collected them, like other people collect stamps. Abram instructed his wife, Sarai, that as they enter Egypt, she should pose as his sister, instead of his wife, so the Egyptians wouldn't kill him to get to her. Sure enough, the princes of the land spotted Sarai, and told Pharaoh about her. Pharaoh then took her into his house. Abram was treated well by Pharaoh in return, and given servants and animals in exchange for his "sister" (v. 16). This could not have been Abram's finest hour (yet he would do the same thing again at a later date with a different king: Gen. 20). Because of Abram's deception, Pharaoh will now be "cursed", as the LORD had promised Abram in the beginning:
"But the LORD plagued (nagah: to reach violently, to strike) Pharaoh and his house with great (gadowl: great in intensity and magnitude, even as God Himself) plagues (negah: wound, sore, stripes, disease, mark) because of Sarai, Abram's wife."  Gen. 12:17
These terrible things must have puzzled Pharaoh. What had he done to deserve it? He  eventually found out:
"And Pharaoh called Abram and said, "What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? Why did you say, "She is my sister"? I might have taken her as my wife. Now therefore, here is your wife. Take her and go your way."  Gen. 12:18-19
Pharaoh had his men "escort" Abram and his wife away, again with all of the possessions that Abram had.
Abram wisely returns to the place between Bethel and Ai (see above), to the place where he had been before, where he first built an altar to the LORD, and called upon His name (Gen. 13:3-4). He would find, however, that the people and goods that he had brought with him, both from Haran, and additionally from Egypt, would cause a great deal of strife for his household (v. 6-7). This would bring Abram to other turning points in his journey in the future.
Learning from Abram's example, I think that we must give great thought to how we act, the choices we make, and the "stuff" we bring with us on the journey that God has assigned us. Our choices will make the difference in our own walk, and will have repercussions, good or bad, for those we meet along the way. The manner in which we, God's people, make our journey, will also impact our nation, bringing possible bitter cursing, or honor and blessing, destruction and ruin, or salvation and revival. Like Abram, we have been placed between those two different places for a purpose. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit bless us, guide us, and help us as we make our journey through Canaan land.

Our Father has a journey for us.

"Strength for the Journey"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqvmopOBUZY