The Best Provision

Finally Abram said to Lot, “Let’s not allow this conflict to come between us or our herdsmen. After all, we are close relatives!  The whole countryside is open to you. Take your choice of any section of the land you want, and we will separate. If you want the land to the left, then I’ll take the land on the right. If you prefer the land on the right, then I’ll go to the left.”  Lot took a long look at the fertile plains of the Jordan Valley in the direction of Zoar. The whole area was well watered everywhere, like the garden of the Lord or the beautiful land of Egypt. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)  Lot chose for himself the whole Jordan Valley to the east of them. He went there with his flocks and servants and parted company with his uncle Abram.  So Abram settled in the land of Canaan, and Lot moved his tents to a place near Sodom and settled among the cities of the plain.  But the people of this area were extremely wicked and constantly sinned against the Lord. After Lot had gone, the Lord said to Abram, “Look as far as you can see in every direction—north and south, east and west.  I am giving all this land, as far as you can see, to you and your descendants as a permanent possession.  And I will give you so many descendants that, like the dust of the earth, they cannot be counted!  Go and walk through the land in every direction, for I am giving it to you.” So Abram moved his camp to Hebron and settled near the oak grove belonging to Mamre. There he built another altar to the Lord. Genesis 13:8-18 (NLT)

Abraham moved away from this home. He took everything he had. And he took Lot and all he had. Lot’s father had passed away so Abraham kind of adopted him.

As their flocks grew, quarreling broke out between their workers so Abraham suggested they separate their households to make things easier. Now Abraham, being older should have been the one to choose where he wanted to settle. it was his right as the eldest. But he didn’t. He asked Lot to choose. And Lot looked around at the fertile fields of the Jordan Valley and picked that space.

Abraham said OK. You take that. Lot took what he thought was the best. Abraham didn’t say anything. He didn’t strive to take care of himself. Instead, he served to take care of Lot.

I wonder as God watched what he thought. Was he sad because Lot looked at the best fields and chose that instead of looking out for Abraham? Was he proud of Abraham for putting others first?

Lot moves out and God moved in. He came to Abraham and said “Abraham, look as far as you can see. It’s all yours. I am giving this to you.” And Abraham worshiped. Lot moved to an area that was full of wickedness and later would lose everything.

No matter how hard we strive, no matter how much we work to take care of ourselves. It is not what we get that matters. It’s what God gives us that makes all the difference. God may not give us everything as far as we can see, but he will provide. What he provides for each of us is different; different yet perfect. Perfect for us. And his gifts, no matter what they are far outweigh anything we can accumulate on our own.

Thirsty No More

Come, everyone who thirsts,
    come to the waters;
and he who has no money,
    come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
    without money and without price. Isaiah 55:1 (ESV)

Are you thirsty? Come to the water. But remember, you can't come to the water only once. You will get thirsty again. Keep coming. Keep drinking. This isn't about satisfying your physical thirst. This is about satisfying your longing for something more. Something God.

The first drink is not the end of the journey, it's the beginning. It is the first refreshing sip in a life-time of gulps. And what will it cost you? Absolutely nothing. It's free! Free to anyone who knows there has to be something more to this life...something more than the temporary smile or momentary satisfaction. 

What is the value of being full of contentment, joy and peace? Priceless! Try it!

Golden

 Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said,
“I will never fail you.
    I will never abandon you.”
So we can say with confidence,
“The Lord is my helper,
    so I will have no fear.
    What can mere people do to me?” Hebrews 13:5-6 (NLT)

Lately the theme of this text has been coming up a lot. It has come up in conversations, different devotions I've read, when I read my Bible or other books.  What's the theme? Be content.

Be content in what you have. Be content in where you are in your life. Be content in your relationships.

Does that mean we shouldn't have dreams and strive to do more? Absolutely not! But it means we should also be content in the process. Often that process is God working out his plan in our lives.

We can also be content in the fact that God is with us. He never leaves us. He is always working in and around us. Sometimes, when things don't look the way you want them to, don't run ahead of God. The process is refining us like fire refines gold.

You Take The Best

Finally Abram said to Lot, “Let’s not allow this conflict to come between us or our herdsmen. After all, we are close relatives! The whole countryside is open to you. Take your choice of any section of the land you want, and we will separate. If you want the land to the left, then I’ll take the land on the right. If you prefer the land on the right, then I’ll go to the left.” Genesis 13:8-9 (NLT)

Abram and Lot lived together. The Bible tells us that they both were very wealthy. Things were getting a little crowded and their herdsmen were fighting. It was time to live separately. Abram said to Lot "You go first." Not, "You move out first" but "You choose first".  He said, "Lot, assess everything and make a choice." I'll take seconds.

Now, Abram was older (not to mention richer) so by all standards, he should have chosen first. But, he didn't. He turned the decision over to Lot. Lot looked around and chose the best land.

Makes you wonder about Abram. What was it in him that motivated that decision? Typically, we tend to think about pecking order as far as status and decisions go. Who has the higher position, who has the most money, who has the most clout are things we assess. But as I look at Abram and his walk with God, I think his decision was based on that relationship. You see, Abram knew it didn't matter where he lived or what he had. He knew that God was the provider. He had watched God take care of him even when he got himself into a pickle.

Abram was content with what he had and who had him. True to form, God honored Abram's decision to put others first and to trust him. After Lot moved, God showed up and said to Abram, "Look around. As far as you can see, it's yours. And not only that, I will give you more descendants than you can imagine. Go ahead, walk around, enjoy. It's all yours."

The decision to not fight for what is ours, to release our hold on "things", is not easy to do. It goes against our human nature. But God calls us to a higher nature. He calls us to a Christlike nature. That calling asks us to trust in what he has and will provide for us. It calls us to be content where he has us. When we live in that place, the place of contentment and trust, there is a peace in your soul...a peace that is beyond understanding. And that peace is way better than any "thing" you have.