God's Best for Choosing God's Way

Posted on 25. Sep, 2009 by Jim Peters in Hearing God - Jim's Daily D

Genesis 13:1-14:4

Chapter 13

So Abram left Egypt, with his wife, Lot and everything he had and went to the South Country. ²Abram was rich and had many farm animals and silver and gold.

³He left the South Country and travelled from place to place until he reached Bethel, and then the place between Ai and Bethel ⁴where he had camped previously and had first made an altar. There Abram called out to God, using his name, “Yahweh” (the Lord).

⁵Lot was travelling with Abraham and Lot had sheep and cattle and tents, too. ⁶However, there was not enough water and feed for both Abram’s and Lot’s herds and flocks while they remained together. ⁷Abram’s herdsmen and Lot’s herdsmen started to argue with each other and it was proving impossible to stay together. The Canaanites and Perizites also lived in the same region.

⁸Abram said to Lot, “I don’t want any fighting between you and me, or between our herdsmen, since we are brothers.

⁹I want you to choose the part of the land that best suits you. We need to split up. So, if you go in one direction, I will go in the other.

¹⁰Lot recognised that there was an abundance of water on the plains along the Jordan River. It was as good as the garden God had made, and as good as Egypt near Zoar. [This was prior to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.] ¹¹So Lot chose all the area near the Jordan and set out toward the East and the two men separated. ¹²Abram continued living in Canaan while Lot lived in the vicinity of the cities near the Jordan, setting up camp near Sodom. ¹³The men of Sodom were evil and God hated, and was distressed over, the sinful lives they were living.

¹⁴After Lot had departed, the Lord God spoke to Abram, saying, “Take a look in every direction – north, south, east and west – ¹⁵because I am going to give you everything that you see. I will give all this land to you and your family forever.

¹⁵I will multiply the number of your family members so that they will be as many as (all) the grains of dust. If anyone can count all the grains of dust on the earth, that’s how many will be in your family. ¹⁶Go and survey the land for I will give it to you.

¹⁷Then Abram moved camp to live near the giant trees owned by Mamre in Hebron. Abram made and altar to God there.

Chapter 14

During the time Amraphel was king of Shinar, Arioch was king of Ellasar, Kedorlaomer was king of Elam and Tidal was King of Goiim, ²and they started a war with King Bera of Sodom, King Birsha of Gomorrah, King Shinab of Admar, King Shemeber of Zeboiim and the king of Bela (or Zoar).

^3/4The group of kings (mentioned) last rebelled against King Kedorlaomer thirteen years (later)[1] and refused to serve him, joining together as allies in the Valley of Siddim (at the Southern end of the Dead Sea).

Application

When it got too difficult to support both families in the same area, Abraham released Lot to go to the better land. However, Abraham chose to stay where God had sent him.

I am to stay in the place where God put me and not to chase after greener pastures. Sometimes, I might be tempted to look at some other place than the one God has given me and think that it is better.

God’s promise and legally binding agreement stays with the person who obeys him and goes where God says.

I have little choice but to obey if I want to live under God’s blessing.

Prayer

Father, please refine me and guide me so that I might be useful to you. O God, show me clearly where you want me to be and warn me when I start in the wrong direction.

Thank you that you have placed me in a good land because of what you have in store for me here rather than the fertility of the soil. I choose to be thankful and joyful here in the place that you have given me.

IJN Amen

[1] “in the thirteenth year”

Jim Peters