“This town ain’t big enough for the both of us!”  This is the line shouted by the “bad guy” to the “good guy” in most westerns right before a gun battle ensues between them.  The good guy doesn’t want to shoot it out with the bad guy but is ready to do so to protect himself, his town, and his family.  We watched and cheered for the good guy to win the battle. In the old westerns, the war between good and evil was nearly always won by the heroic good guys by the end of the movie.  All the quarreling, harassing, and fighting over possessions was solved when the good guy defeated the bad guy.  The towns people cheered and the world was set right once more—all in an hour and half. 

Truly the area in which Abram and Lot pitched their tents, raised stock, and invested in silver and gold, which provided wealth for their families was becoming too crowded!  But look what God is doing in Abram!  Abram is developing wisdom as he walks in faith with the Lord.  Notice what Abram did first—he went back to the place where he had met the Lord earlier and bows in front of an altar he had built to worship God. Could his prayer to the Lord have been about the overcrowding situation?  Did he ask God for how to solve the issue with his nephew, Lot? Could he have prayed, “Lord, he’s family, what do I do that will be best for all concerned?”

How many times have we bowed in an altar of prayer, asking the Lord to give us wisdom in family issues, quarrels, and misunderstandings?  God will provide help when we ask Him.  The answer might not be what we think should happen, if fact,most times it is not, “for God’s thoughts and ways are higher than our thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)

But when we ask for wisdom, with a sincere heart and listening ears, God will answer with the right solution at the right time in the right Spirit.  I can testify of how God has done it over and over for me!

Genesis 13

Abram and Lot Separate

So Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev, with his wife and everything he had, and Lot went with him. ² Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold.

³ From the Negev he went from place to place until he came to Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had been earlier ⁴ and where he had first built an altar. There Abram called on the name of the Lord.

⁵ Now Lot, who was moving about with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. ⁶ But the land could not support them while they stayed together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay together. ⁷ And quarreling arose between Abram’s herders and Lot’s. The Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land at that time.

⁸ So Abram said to Lot, “Let’s not have any quarreling between you and me, or between your herders and mine, for we are close relatives. ⁹ Is not the whole land before you? Let’s part company. If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right; if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.”

¹⁰ Lot looked around and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan toward Zoar was well watered, like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) ¹¹ So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east. The two men parted company: ¹² Abram lived in the land of Canaan, while Lot lived among the cities of the plain and pitched his tents near Sodom. ¹³ Now the people of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the Lord.

¹⁴ 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. ¹⁵ All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever. ¹⁶ 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. ¹⁷ Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you.”

¹⁸ So Abram went to live near the great trees of Mamre at Hebron, where he pitched his tents. There he built an altar to the Lord.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

• Abram consulted God in prayer.  Abram’s relationship with God is growing his faith.  God is pleased and blesses Abram with wisdom for the journey.

• Abram listens to God’s wisdom with a solution for the overcrowding problem that has cause an outbreak of quarrels among the family who fight for and defend their territory.

• Abram set aside his own interests and gives Lot the honor to choose.  Lot looked around and chose what was best for him.  “Abram lived in the land of Canaan, while Lot lived among the cities of the plain and pitched his tents near Sodom.”

• Abram is blessed by God for his obedience to God.  “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.”  ALL belongs to God.  ALL we need in the eyes of the Lord is given to us by God in His timing for our good. To God be the glory!

• Abram moves on with God in the lead.  So Abram went to live near the great trees of Mamre at Hebron, where he pitched his tents. There he built an altar to the Lord.

PAUSE TO PRAY AND REFLECT–

What family issue is troubling with seemingly no clear solution?

What financial dilemma looms in the horizon that seems impossible to resolve?

What do we do in the wait for resolution and peace?

Have we cried out for wisdom, insight and understanding—with willing hearts ready to receive it from God?  (take a deep dive into Proverbs 2)

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.  As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9

Lord,

Your story strengthens our faith as we read and watch how Abram’s faith and focus on you grew on his journey.  Abram’s faith led Him to seek your wisdom in a troubling family situation.  Abram then willing set aside what he wanted for what you told him to do—give Lot the honor of choice.  When we trust and obey, you provide the way to peace.  Give us wisdom, Lord for our journey today.  Guide us in all we think, say, and do.

In Jesus Name, Amen