April 10, 2023
Reading: Genesis 13
Focus: Genesis 13:14-16 – 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. All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever. 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.”
Father God, thank You for another day. Thank You for giving me the words that You want said. Again, I ask for open minds and hearts. Teach me as I share what You would have me to share. In Jesus Name. Amen.
When I looked at the Focus Verse again, I thought who else could make such a promise to an old man with no children and to his equally old wife but God. It boggles the mind. I understand Sarai’s despair of being unable to have children. I’ve experienced that myself. I was told that I would never be able to conceive. It broke me. When I read this story, my heart breaks for her every time. Some of you may know this pain; others may not. I can tell you from experience that the pain is excruciating. I felt like I had failed my purpose as a woman and we wanted children. Several children. I can point back to the day that God answered my prayer, “God, give me peace or give me a child! I am going to die without one or the other.” His peace washed over me in waves. From that day, August 24,1991, I was content with no children. October of that same year, we met the little boy who became our son. Not only did He give me peace, He gave me a son. His name? Isaac.
Now, Sarai is approaching 70 and Abram is nearly 80. It would take a miracle for them to have children, even that this age. But that’s what God promised. And WOW! What a promise! God tells Abram that his descendants would be without number. But Abram was still childless. Sarai still hadn’t had a child. This is the second time that God tells Abram that he would be a father to many, many people. I can’t imagine what Abram was thinking. First thought, he was nearly 80 years old and his wife, nearly 70. They were OLD! How could that be even possible. Second, they had no children. Yet. But Abram, pitched his tent in the land God had shown him, near Hebron and he built an altar to God were he worshipped God. And waited for God to fulfill His promise.
Abram was a wealthy man, even though he was a nomad. He carried his house with him wherever he went. His wealth included gold and silver and lots of livestock. Livestock was a vital commodity for him. He and his people depended on them for food, clothing, tools, tents and trading. When he left Egypt, he had accumulated a great deal of wealth in the livestock and servants which Pharoah had given him. Not only was he wealthy he was prosperous. His wealth grew daily. But he was poor in one thing. Children.
When Abram left Harran, he took his nephew, Lot, with him as he followed God’s leading. Lot had plenty of livestock as well. When the travelled together, I imagine it may have been hard to keep up whose livestock was whose. Abram realized they had too many livestock for the land to support. He also anticipated that if they stayed in the same area, there were likely to be disputes among the herdsmen over grass and water. Not only were their livestock in the area but livestock of other people were there too. There were too many for the land to support without disputes. So, Abram decided to prevent any disputes by separating. Abram, even though as the elder should have had the first choice, he gave that choice to Lot. He told Lot that he could go to the left or the right and he would go the other direction.
Lot looked at the land where they planned to settle. The plans of the Jordan were plush and green. The cities of Sodom, Gomorrah and Zoar were also in the plain. Lot chose the lush green plains of the Jordan, which appeared to be the best he could get. Abram went the other direction. Lot’s choice was where the grass was greener. This was before God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. So, Abram went to live in the land of Canaan while Lot went to live among the cities. Abram’s choice was the land that God had promised him once before. And there he built an altar to the Lord and worshipped God.
Abram was always building altars. Why? He wanted to worship God and to remember occasions when God spoke to him. Altars weren’t only for sacrifice. They were places of worship and Abram wanted to keep in communion with God. I can just see every place he stopped and pitched his tent. There were always an altar. Abram left them where they had been built. When he passed by again, he would be reminded of God had done and said. Many churches have altars. Some are rarely used. Others are always a place of prayer, for asking forgiveness, praising God for answers to prayer and places of petition for God’s help. Altars, though, don’t always have to be in a church. They can be in your home. Where do you pray? By your bed, in a favorite chair, in your car? Your altar can be anywhere. It should be in a place where you can shut out the world and spend some quality time with God. If you haven’t watched the movie “War Room” yet, I hope you take the opportunity. It is amazing to see, even if it’s only a movie, just how much prayer can change people and their world.
Look at what happened at Ashbury College in Kentucky. Their prayers are bringing a change in people’s lives in that community. A revival is sweeping the area because these students began to pray, and prayed earnestly for God to send the Holy Spirit among them as He did on Pentecost. That revival is spreading across the country, one person at a time. You can change your world in the same way when you pray as they are doing, in complete faith, with open hearts and minds, and the willingness to let God use you, and through you, to bring others to Him. I have read articles that this revival didn’t just stop at Ashbury College. It was happening in Christian and secular colleges and universities all over the country. It is also occurring in countries all over the world. God is moving among us. Get ready, Jesus is getting ready to return. Are you ready?
Looking back at this chapter, I can see we are also given choices. Sometimes they’re huge choices and sometimes small ones, but still a choice has to be made. Do we go where the grass is greener, close but not quite into sin and where sin’s influence is strong? Or do we take the road less traveled that God leads us to? Jesus, in the garden of Gethsemane had a choice. He could take the easy way out, call legions of angels to rescue Him and condemn man to eternal separation from God or He could walk the path that led to the cross. Jesus chose the more difficult road. But Jesus did for Himself and going to the cross. He prayed for us, His followers, past, present and future. He prayed for you and for me (Matthew 17).
He chose the cross. He knew that without His death, mankind would be eternally separated from God. Animal sacrifice would always be needed for the atonement of sin. He struggled with this because He was Man and yet, at the same time, He was God. It would have been so easy to say “Nope, not going to happen.” His agony and struggle over that choice was so great that He sweat actual drops of blood. But He still chose the cross. It was love for the creation of man that He chose to die. It was love for His followers that He chose the cross. It was love for you and for me that He walked all the was to Calvary.
We are all given choices in our lives. What we do with those choices is up to us. God gave mankind free will. He will never force us to do anything. He will guide us when we ask. He will point us in the right direction but He will never make us take that direction. When you stand at a fork in the road, which way will you choose? Do you ask God for guidance or simply choose the easy way. Jesus, Himself, said “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14) I may have said this before, being a Christian sometimes is so not easy. We have to stand against the evils of this world, make choices that are not popular and walk away from friends and family who choose to follow sin. That being said, just remember, the rewards are out of this world (Heaven).
It is up to us, when presented with a choice, to choose the greener grass and have it easy. Or do we choose the more difficult path that leads to the riches of Jesus and the Kingdom of God. God gave us choice at creation. He does not force anyone to love Him. Forced love is no love at all. Forced obedience is not real obedience. God wants our love and obedience to be our choice not a duty. I will not ever say that obedience is always easy but I will say that love and willing obedience is rewarding in its own right. You may not see it in your lifetime but once you cross into heaven, your reward will be, “Welcome Home, My good and faithful child.”
Which way do you choose?
Father God, I am so thankful that Jesus chose the cross. That He was willing to die for my sin. Give the strength that I need to make the right choices. Keep me from sin. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Food For Thought
- God told Abram a second time that he would be the father of so many that they could not be counted. Do you think that was easy for Abram to believe? Why?
- God showed Abram the land of Canaan and said He would give it to him and his offspring. What do you think Abram thought about that?
- Abram and Lot decided to part ways and choose which way each would go. Why do you think Lot chose the Jordan Valley?
- Have you ever been faced with a choice? On one hand, the way is easy as can be. On the other hand, the way is difficult and full of hard work. Which will you choose?
- Why do you think sin seems so inviting? What is the allure?
