Abram traveled back to where he had previously built an altar and called on the name of The Lord. He was back in the place where he knew God wanted him to be.
Abram and Lot were still traveling together, and they had acquired so many possessions that the land could not support them both. Abram no longer had the same worrying nature that had led him to Egypt. Now his faith was in God, so when faced with this difficulty, he was able to bring peace to the situation by acting with generosity towards Lot.
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
Romans 12:18 NIV
He trusted that God would provide for him, so he was willing to allow Lot to choose what part of the land he would like for himself.
Abram was humble in the situation. He was content, knowing that there was more than enough land for both of them. He showed Lot that his relationship with him was more important to him than the conflict at hand.
Lot chose the best land for himself. After Lot had parted, God spoke to Abram. He reassured him that it was not a loss. It didn’t matter what he had given away. God would be giving it all to him anyway.
When we trust God in all the areas of our lives, we can release our grip on things of this world. Our faith allows us to live without attachment to our possessions.
We can restore relationships that are in conflict by acting out of generosity.
We can resolve tension through compromise and cooperation. We can be content and free of the worries of losing our possessions, because it’s just stuff.
You can trust that if God wants you to have it, he will bring it back to you in His timing. And if it’s not part of His plan for you, then you are free from one more distraction that could be keeping you from seeing what He has in store for you.
What is more important – your relationships or your stuff?
Dear Lord, Thank You for providing for me in so many ways. Thank You for the friends and family in my life, for the roof over my head, and for a job that has always paid me enough so that I am never lacking. I have been through some really hard times in the past, so I find myself holding onto so many things that I don’t really need. Please help me to release my grasp on these possessions and act with generosity at every opportunity. I don’t want to hold back anymore, because I have faith that You will make sure that I always have enough.
Amen
Today’s Scripture:
Genesis 13:1-18
1 So Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev, with his wife and everything he had, and Lot went with him. 2 Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold.
3 From 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 4 and where he had first built an altar. There Abram called on the name of the Lord.
5 Now Lot, who was moving about with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. 6 But the land could not support them while they stayed together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay together. 7 And quarreling arose between Abram’s herders and Lot’s. The Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land at that time.
8 So 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. 9 Is 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.”
10 Lot 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 Lorddestroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) 11 So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east. The two men parted company: 12 Abram lived in the land of Canaan, while Lot lived among the cities of the plain and pitched his tents near Sodom. 13 Now the people of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the Lord.
14 The Lord said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, “Look around from where you are, to the north and south, to the east and west. 15 All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever. 16 I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted. 17 Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you.”
18 So Abram went to live near the great trees of Mamre at Hebron, where he pitched his tents. There he built an altar to the Lord.
I Once Was Lost 