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Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Thursday, 14 November 2024:
Genesis 13:6, 7 – Their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together, and there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock.
Throughout the entire Bible, we are warned not to let possessions, or the pursuit of possessions, get in the way of our relationships with God and others. Genesis 13 explains that when Abram (and his family) left Egypt, “Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold.” (Genesis 13:2), but why? Remember, in Genesis 12 we were told, because Pharoah wanted to take Sarai (Abram’s wife thought by Pharoah to be Abram’s sister) as his own, “…for her sake he dealt well with Abram; and he had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels.” (Genesis 12:16) Had Abram not dealt deceptively with Pharoah, he would not have acquired significant wealth, he would not have brought a curse upon Pharoah, he would not have dishonored and threatened his wife, and, most importantly, he would not have misrepresented the character of God. Also, he would not have set the conditions for conflict and division with his nephew, Lot.
Despite Abram’s sin, God showed mercy to Abram and his family, protecting them and delivering them, but God also allowed Abram to acquire exorbitant wealth and to experience the consequences of ungodly gain. When we seek to acquire through sin what God has not intended for us, what we might have viewed as “blessings” become for us curses. All that God gives us is a blessing. All that God doesn’t give us is also a blessing. God will not give us “good” things if they wouldn’t be best for us. A loving parent often denies his children gifts which would be harmful. For example, a young child might eagerly desire to drive a car, and a loving parent might also look forward to the day when that child would be able to drive and eventually own a car. However, a loving parent would never allow their child to drive too early, and a wise child would accept and appreciate the parent’s temporary prohibition as an act of loving protection, not a mere act of control or neglect.
Abram’s and Lot’s abundance caused strife and separation between them. Not only did they become preoccupied managing all that they had; they also no longer needed to depend on each other or trust God in what they lacked. Now they saw each other as obstacles. We might not be rich, but we don’t have to be rich to make money an idol which hurts our relationships with God and others. We can become so preoccupied with making money that we neglect our relationships. People can start to look like obstacles, and we will find we just don’t have time for them. Increasingly, in pursuit of the American Dream, people are becoming isolated.
When we get more than we need, we are told by God’s word to give the rest away. In fact, we are told to give our best away and take for ourselves only what we need from the rest to meet our basic needs. Even still, God might call you to give away even what you need, so that He can meet your needs in miraculous ways to build your faith in Him. Jesus warned of the man who had so much that he built new barns to store it all so he could retire and live comfortably (like worldly investment advisors recommend). Jesus called that man a fool who should have stored up treasures in Heaven by caring for others with what he had on hand rather than hoarding it for sake of perceived selfish benefit. (Luke 12:13-21)
In today’s readings from Genesis, the family divided because of earthly gain, and everyone eventually paid a hefty price for choosing worldly resources over relationships. Consider families today – everyone goes their separate directions to make a living, and they rely on technology to maintain some degree of connection. When life’s challenges come, many turn to strangers (counsellors, bankers, etc) rather than family for support. This is so normal, we hardly question it. However, God had a different plan for families and church families.
Genesis 13:9-11 – “If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right, or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left.” And Lot lifted up his eyes and saw that the Jordan Valley was well watered everywhere like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) So Lot chose for himself all the Jordan Valley, and Lot journeyed east. Thus they separated from each other.
Previously, we discussed the choice everyone makes in life to trust, serve, and glorify either God or self, to build an alter to God or a tower to self. This choice involves both a life resolution and daily decisions consistent with that resolution. Today we see how Abram’s resolution is played out in his daily decisions, how he treats people and circumstances.
When Abram and his nephew Lot left Egypt and entered the Negeb, Abram “called upon the name of the Lord,” but the Bible does not make a similar statement about Lot. As mentioned above, eventually, competition over limited resources caused strife between Abram’s herdsmen and Lot’s herdsmen. Abram, who called upon the name of the Lord, not only took the initiative to promote peace, he also surrendered his rights as the senior leader to choose first which land he would settle, giving Lot the first choice. In conflict, Abram followed the godly principle of selflessly accommodating the desires of the other person. Abram’s focus was on reconciliation while Lot remained focused on getting the best deal, coming out on top. Lot chose what he thought was the best land, and allowed Abram to take a harsh land full of enemies. No complaint was registered by Abram, though he got the raw deal. It takes faith to surrender your rights for sake of others and to trust God with the outcome. It takes faith to lead the way Jesus commanded – “And he said to them, ‘If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all'”…. “The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” (Mark 9:35; Matthew 23:11, 12) This faith involves a resolution to trust, serve, and glorify God with your life, and then the resolution becomes real at the moment of decision, one decision at a time over a lifetime.
Naturally, Lot chose what appeared to be the choicest land, the Jordan Valley near major cities, leaving Abram with the harsh land of Canaan. However, Lot’s apparently self-centered choice placed his tent in Sodom, which as we will soon see, will have dire consequences. It took great faith for Abram to behave selflessly without complaint. It took no faith for Lot to take what he wanted.
Abram’s choice was blessed by God; Lot’s choice was cursed. After this separation between Abram and Lot, the Bible says the Lord spoke to Abram but doesn’t make a similar statement concerning Lot. From this point on, we will see nothing but tragedy strike Lot and his family, while God continues to bless Abram and his family. As Jesus said, “Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:31-33) How do your decisions and how you respond to people and circumstances reveal the God you serve? Do you have the faith to do what God wants even when obedience comes at a great cost to you and seems to give the advantage to more selfish people?
Genesis 13:13 — Now the men of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the Lord. (Genesis 13:13)
Better to live with nothing than to live in company of ungodly in pursuit of selfish gain.
Genesis 13:14-18 — The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, “Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward, for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever…. So Abram moved his tent and came and settled by the oaks of Mamre, which are at Hebron, and there he built an altar to the Lord.
When Abram acquired great wealth his way, it only caused anxiety, pain, strive, and division. When Abram placed his trust in the LORD and gave beyond what was expected, God blessed him beyond measure. Abram is told to look in every direction, for all that he sees shall be his (13:14–15). Moreover, his family will be as numerous as the grains of dust that cover the earth — a family so large it will be innumerable (v. 16). Subsequently, Abram builds alters to God in the land which is not yet his as visible reminders that his provision and hope rested on God’s power and promises rather than Abram’s efforts and that God always delivers on His promises – we don’t need to supplement His sovereignty with our sin.
“This scene is a reminder to us that the greatest blessings of the covenant lies in the future. Abram apparently lost the better part of the land to Lot, but he knew this temporary setback would not last forever. This father of all who believe in the Gospel (Rom. 4:11–12) was confident in the Lord’s mercy, and so he could divest himself of what seemed to be the better region, because he knew it would one day be his. He was well aware, as the author of Hebrews later tells us (11:16), that God would reward him forever with a country even richer than the one he could see, for God’s word is surer than our senses (Gen. 3; Tit. 1:2). As Matthew Henry comments, ‘Lot had the paradise, such as it was, but Abram had the promise.’” (Ligonier Ministries)
Likewise, while our obedience to Christ will cause apparent setbacks in this life, but they are insignificant compared with the eternal reward which awaits us. How foolish would it be for us to chase after earthly reward at the expense of what really matters?
- Mark 8:36 — For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?
“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 14 November 2024: Today, consider how you might be prioritizing profit over people – professional or personal pursuits over the Person of Jesus, and the people God has intentionally placed in your life. Would you live more and give more by living with less? What can you do differently today to experience the power of God in your life as you rely on His miraculous provision, rather than experiencing the limits of your power through anxiety, strife, and isolation?
Defenders Bible Reading Plan 