Friday Devo
Scripture:
Genesis 13:1-9
So Abram left Egypt and traveled north into the Negev, along with his wife and Lot and all that they owned. 2 (Abram was very rich in livestock, silver, and gold.) 3 From the Negev, they continued traveling by stages toward Bethel, and they pitched their tents between Bethel and Ai, where they had camped before. 4 This was the same place where Abram had built the altar, and there he worshiped the Lord again.
5 Lot, who was traveling with Abram, had also become very wealthy with flocks of sheep and goats, herds of cattle, and many tents. 6 But the land could not support both Abram and Lot with all their flocks and herds living so close together. 7 So disputes broke out between the herdsmen of Abram and Lot. (At that time Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land.)
8 Finally Abram said to Lot, “Let’s not allow this conflict to come between us or our herdsmen. After all, we are close relatives! 9 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.”
So Abram left Egypt and traveled north into the Negev, along with his wife and Lot and all that they owned. 2 (Abram was very rich in livestock, silver, and gold.) 3 From the Negev, they continued traveling by stages toward Bethel, and they pitched their tents between Bethel and Ai, where they had camped before. 4 This was the same place where Abram had built the altar, and there he worshiped the Lord again.
5 Lot, who was traveling with Abram, had also become very wealthy with flocks of sheep and goats, herds of cattle, and many tents. 6 But the land could not support both Abram and Lot with all their flocks and herds living so close together. 7 So disputes broke out between the herdsmen of Abram and Lot. (At that time Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land.)
8 Finally Abram said to Lot, “Let’s not allow this conflict to come between us or our herdsmen. After all, we are close relatives! 9 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.”
Commentary:
13:1–18 Abram and Lot Separate. Expelled from Egypt, Abram retraces his steps northward, through the Negeb, back to the hill country between Bethel and Ai where he had previously built an altar (12:8). Competition for pasture soon leads to strife between the herdsmen of Abram and Lot. When Abram magnanimously offers Lot first choice of the land, Lot opts for the fertile Jordan Valley. Afterward, the Lord reaffirms that Abram’s descendants will possess all of Canaan.
13:2–6 These verses emphasize the wealth of both Abram and Lot, describing how the hill country east of Bethel is unable to sustain the livestock of both men.
13:7 The pressure on pastureland may well have been increased by the fact that the Canaanites and the Perizzites were dwelling in the land. Cf. the similar notice in 12:6.
13:2–6 These verses emphasize the wealth of both Abram and Lot, describing how the hill country east of Bethel is unable to sustain the livestock of both men.
13:7 The pressure on pastureland may well have been increased by the fact that the Canaanites and the Perizzites were dwelling in the land. Cf. the similar notice in 12:6.
Questions:
- What Abraham does in verse 9 is unheard of! Most would probably expect them to either go to war over their preferred land or, since Abraham is the more powerful of the two, he would just tell Lot to leave. But Abraham does neither of those things. Not only does he avoid conflict, but he gives the lesser man the better choice. This is a sign of true humility and trust in God. Is there a situation in your life and relationships right now where you can follow Abraham's lead, swallow your pride, and defer? Are you one that tends to demand your own way in relationships?
- This week we talked about priorities. In Genesis 13, Abraham and Lot both found themselves in some situations that forced them to choose what was most important to them. While Abraham and Lot were both ambitious, smart men, only Abraham's choices led to increased prosperity, blessing and multiplication. Lot's choices led him to destruction. The truth is that motivation, not intention, determines location. Have you seen this principle play out in your own life? In what areas do you have the best intentions, but don't quite see it come to fruition?
Pray:
- That you would look for opportunities to defer to others and trust God.
- That you would look beyond your intentions and examine your motivations.
This Week's City 7:
Try to commit to memory!
3. Why did Jesus have to die on the cross? Since “all have sinned” and the “wages of sin is death,” Jesus had to die on the cross to pay the fine for my sin so I could be right with God.
(Romans 3:23, 5:8, 6:21-23, 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 2:1-6; Colossians 1:13-14, 21-22)
(Romans 3:23, 5:8, 6:21-23, 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 2:1-6; Colossians 1:13-14, 21-22)
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