Genesis 13:1-14:16

Genesis 13:1-14:16

This chapter begins with Abram’s return to the Promised Land. He heads back to where God had first spoken with him about the land, where he had first set up an altar. So after the detour that Abram literally made but also spiritually made, he was finally back where he began. He returned to the place that he had last been with God faithfully so that he could begin again. That is what we have to do many times in our lives. At times we drift so far from God, although He never leaves us. He is always by our side waiting for us to turn back around to Him for guidance. We have to return to the last place in our lives that we were faithfully following Him and start over. But that does not mean that everything will run smoothly again.

For Abram, the return only brought more conflict. Yes, he was following God’s commands, settling in the land that God had promised him. But with his house (being the herdsmen and animals he kept) growing so much, conflict arose. Not wanting this to mess things up again, Abram tried to find a quick solution. He did not want conflict, especially among family. So he made a deal with Lot, giving Lot the choice of land. Lot immediately chose the land that was pleasing to the eye. Seeing that it was kept, had an abundant wealth of resources, and that it was well populated, Lot journeyed east. But he headed to land of wickedness, Sodom. Granted, Lot may not have known this at the time. However, once he found himself in a land of wickedness, he should have known not to associate himself with the men of the city.

Like Lot, there are times when we tend to go to what is pleasing in our own eyes. Just because Option A physically looks better, we sacrifice our ethics, our morals, and turn away from God. Now this may not be some radical, life altering decision that we make (such as turning to drugs), but we all do it. We all find ourselves trapped in sin from time to time. But unlike Lot, we must never remain in the camp just hoping that it will all go away. We must physically remove ourselves from that situation and not live with the sin.

As for Abram, he inherited what Lot saw as the lesser of the two lands. But God blessed Abram, giving him all that he could see in every direction. God promised that this land would be the land of his descendants forever. They would inhabit the land for generations to come, and they would be as numerous as the sands of the sea. God made several promises to Abram, but it would be sometime before Abram would see them come to fruition.

Returning to the story of Lot, Lot soon found himself in quite a predicament. Remember, he was the one inhabited the land that looked better, and he soon found himself in a wicked town. But instead of leaving Sodom and seeking out a better place to live, Lot remained in the city of sin. As is always the case, there are consequences for our sinful choices. Lot experienced this when war broke out in the land. Kings from cities abroad found themselves in a huge battle, and the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were at the center of it all. When they lost in the battle, the opposing forces wiped out the cities, taking all who lived within the cities with them. Lot and his family were one of the families who lost their home and all that they owned. We must learn from Lot that the choices we make will always affect our future and quite possibly the future of those around us. But Lot was protected in this instance, for God allowed Abram to come to his rescue and take back his family and all of his possessions. God will always come to our rescue when we call out to Him, but He might not always restore our lives to the way they once were. Lot was fortunate enough to gain his wealth back. Either way, we must never forget that even in life’s lowest of lows, God is always there to come to our rescue, ready to forgive.

Matt