Letting the Past Stop the Future

Genesis 11:31–32 (ESV) Terah took Abram his son and Lot the son of Haran, his grandson, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram’s wife, and they went forth together from Ur of the Chaldeans to go into the land of Canaan, but when they came to Haran, they settled there. 32 The days of Terah were 205 years, and Terah died in Haran.

I've always wondered two things about this passage.

#1. Did God originally call Terah and he refuse to listen past the death of his son Haran?
#2. Did God call Abram but he didn't listen by bringing his father along as extra baggage until he passed away?

Acts 7 seems to clear it up for us a bit.
Acts 7:2–4 (ESV) And Stephen said: “Brothers and fathers, hear me. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, 3 and said to him, ‘Go out from your land and from your kindred and go into the land that I will show you.’ 4 Then he went out from the land of the Chaldeans and lived in Haran. And after his father died, God removed him from there into this land in which you are now living.

It would appear the accepted teaching of the Jews in the time of Jesus was that God called Abram but he went halfway to Canaan until his father died. Only after his father had passed did Abram come out of Haran and into the promise of God.

Either way, we learn some important lessons.
#1. God's call can't be stopped by anything.
The death of Haran was a terrible blow to Abram's father. You would think he would need Abram more than ever. Perhaps Abram stayed in Haran until Terah died to help him and support him. Either way, though the call was postponed, it was not ceased.

#2. God is in charge of where we go.
Notice Steven's wording: "God removed (Abram) from there". God was in control over the whole of Abram's move. It wasn't as much as Abram moved and God moved Abram. He orchestrated the events that led to Abram's ultimate dwelling.

#3. When God says go, it's best to just go.
We are usually famous for disrupting God's plans with hesitation or lack of courage. We would save ourselves and our loved ones much heart-ache if we would but listen and obey the Father. The Father is faithful and promises to provide. We can trust Him even when it may lead to the loss of comfort, family, or familiar circumstances. Today Abraham is a hero of the faith, but he wrested his way to that position just like anyone else.

Hebrews 11:8 (ESV) By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.