Genesis 13:2-7. 2Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. 3And he journeyed on from the Negeb as far as Bethel to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, 4to the place where he had made an altar at the first. And there Abram called upon the name of the Lord. 5And Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents, 6so that the land could not support both of them dwelling together; for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together, 7and there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were dwelling in the land.
The Bibles says that Godwill test our faith to see if it is genuine or real. Do we really trust God or not? This is kind of like taking a test in school. Why do we take tests? To see if we are learning what we are supposed to learn. Why does God test our faith? To see if we are learning to trust him. This is important because only when we trust God will we live a life that glorifies him.
There are two great tests in life. The first one is the test of failure. When things are hard or when things go wrong, can we still trust God? The other test is the test of success. When everything is going great, will we still trust God. Abraham faced the test of failure when there was a famine in the land and he went down to Egypt. I think it’s safe to say that Abraham failed that test. But God loved and blessed him anyway. When Abraham left Egypt, everyone was safe and Abraham was very rich – Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold.
But thiscreated a whole new test for Abraham, the test of success. Abraham and his nephew Lot were both so rich that now the land couldn’t support them both, and their herdsmen (shepherds) began to fight – the land could not support both of them dwelling together; for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together.
How will Abraham handle this situation? Will he boss around his nephew? Will he simply tell Lot what to do and where to go? Who could blame him if he did? But Abraham takes the high road. Abraham offers Lot his choice of the land.
Genesis 13:8-9. 8Then Abram said to Lot, “Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, for we are kinsmen. 9Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. 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 that’s when this test of prosperity revealed Lot’s selfish character.
Genesis 13:10-11. 10And 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.) 11So Lot chose for himself all the Jordan Valley, and Lot journeyed east. Thus they separated from each other.
But this story isn’t just about Abraham being kind and Lot being selfish. This test of success forced Abraham to decide yet again if he would trust God to keep his promise. What promise? The promise that Abraham would have many descendants and become a great nation.
You see, Abraham’s wife, Sarah, could not have children. So it is probably safe to say that Abraham believed that God would keep his promise to Abraham through his adopted nephew, Lot. Lot would be Abraham’s “son” and Lot would have a big family and they would all be a great big nation. But if Lot moves away, then that must not be God’s plan.
Genesis 13:11. Thus they separated from each other.
Abraham is passing the test of his faith. How? Because he lets Lot go. Abraham doesn’t try to hold on to Lot, or his money, or even the best land. Abraham lets it all go in order to once again show that he believes God will keep his promise.
This is what Jesus is asking us to do every day. He wants us to be able to let go of the things in this life that might make us feel safer, or more comfortable, or more popular, in order to show that we trust him to keep his promise to us. The promise to always be with us. With Jesus and the promise of Heaven, we are always safe, always comforted, and always loved (and liked).
You: Are having any successes lately? What good things are happening in your life?
You with Jesus: How is Jesus even better than the best things in your life?
Prayer: Father, everything I have is a gift from you that I want to be able to let go of when you ask me to. Help me to trust the love of Jesus more than I trust anything else that I love. Amen.
TLICfamily 