1So Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev, with his wife and everything he had, and Lot went with him. 2Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold.
3From the Negev he went from place to place until he came to Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had been earlier 4and where he had first built an altar. There Abram called on the name of the Lord.
5Now Lot, who was moving about with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. 6But the land could not support them while they stayed together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay together.7And quarreling arose between Abram’s herders and Lot’s. The Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land at that time.
8So Abram said to Lot, “Let’s not have any quarreling between you and me, or between your herders and mine, for we are close relatives. 9Is not the whole land before you? Let’s part company. If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right; if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.”
10Lot looked around and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan toward Zoar was well watered, like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) (Genesis 13:1-10)
Thoughts: God fulfilled his promise of blessing to Abraham. It was not just 4,000 years later that he fulfilled his promises. Yes, 4,000 years later we see that God blessed all the nations through Abraham- whose descendant, Jesus, has adherents in every nation.
God blessed both Abraham and his nephew, Lot, s well that they had to split up to keep the sheep fed. God blesses his followers not just in the life to come, but in this life as well. Blessings from God are also not just spiritual blessings.
However, Lot thought he could choose which is best. He should have, out of respect, offered to give the best and first choice to his uncle who provided for him and gave him everything he had. Instead, he made the choice without any spiritual qualifications. The only criteria Lot used was how things looked. For many today, this is the sole criteria. Many a marriage breaks up because the only criteria was looks. The grass always looks greener on the other side of the fence... or in this case valley. We do not see Lot praying- asking God for wisdom. The next time we see Lot, he is captured because he lived in this area, and then the whole area is destroyed for its evil and Lot has to flee for his life. Only using the criteria of how things look is both limited and suspect.
God blessed both Abraham and his nephew, Lot, s well that they had to split up to keep the sheep fed. God blesses his followers not just in the life to come, but in this life as well. Blessings from God are also not just spiritual blessings.
However, Lot thought he could choose which is best. He should have, out of respect, offered to give the best and first choice to his uncle who provided for him and gave him everything he had. Instead, he made the choice without any spiritual qualifications. The only criteria Lot used was how things looked. For many today, this is the sole criteria. Many a marriage breaks up because the only criteria was looks. The grass always looks greener on the other side of the fence... or in this case valley. We do not see Lot praying- asking God for wisdom. The next time we see Lot, he is captured because he lived in this area, and then the whole area is destroyed for its evil and Lot has to flee for his life. Only using the criteria of how things look is both limited and suspect.
Prayer: Lord, let me trust in you and look to you for the choices I make in life.
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