Is not the whole land before you? Let’s part company. If you go to the left, I will go to the right; if you go to the right I will go to the left.
Genesis 13.9
The promises God made to Abram are already being fulfilled as we read that Abram had become very wealthy. v.2 in spite of his lack of trust in his going to Egypt to escape famine.
In addition to this Abram’s nephew Lot also had large flocks and herds and their respective herdsmen were quarrelling! In this situation Abram makes the amazing offer above.
He is confident enough in the promises that God has made to him to defer to Lot and offer him the choice. Humanly speaking the choice was easy. The Jordan plain was ‘well watered, like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt’ and that is what Lot chose ignoring (to his cost as we shall see later) the fact that the men of Sodom were wicked and sinning greatly against the LORD.’ v.13
Following their parting God fleshes out the promises of chapter 12 with respect to the land. ‘Lift up your eyes from where you are and look north and south and east and west. All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring for ever. I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted. Go walk through the length and breadth of the land for I am giving it to you.’
Let us reflect on and learn this morning from this as we see:
Abram’s absolute trust in God and his promises enabling him to defer to Lot over the choice of dwelling.
Lot putting that which offered immediate ease and satisfaction before consideration of the long term impact of his choice.
God’s unchanging faithfulness to his promises even when Abram had temporarily lost sight of it in going into Egypt.
May our lives today demonstrate Abram’s faith as we face often difficult decisions knowing that
‘in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.’ Romans 8.28