The Future With God

Then Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev- he, his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him. Abram was very rich in livestock, silver and gold. He went by stages from the Negev to Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had formerly been, to the site where he had built the altar. And Abram called on the name of Yahweh there.

Now Lot, who was travelling with Abram,  also had flocks, herds and tents. But the land was unable to support them as long as they stayed together, for they had so many possessions that they could not stay together, and there was quarrelling between the herdsman of Abram's livestock and the herdsman of Lot's livestock. At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were living in the land.

Then Abram said to Lot, "Please, let's not have quarrelling between you and me, or between your herdsman and my herdsman since we are relatives. Isn't the whole before you? Separate from me: if you go to the left, I will go to the right; if you go to the right, I will go to the left."

Lot looked out and saw that the entire Jordan valley as far as Zoar was well watered everywhere like the Lord's garden and the land of Egypt. This was before The Lord had destroyed Sodom and Gommorrah. So Lot chose the entire Jordan valley for himself. Genesis 13:1-11

Abram had gone to Egypt in his own efforts to preserve his life and that of his group, yet had ran foul of the Paraoh. Now he was returning to Bethel, where he first called on the name is Yahweh. I am reminded of a song we are currently singing at church: 'God's Great dance Floor.' The first words are: ' I'm coming back to the start, where you found me, I'm coming back to your heart I surrender, take me this is all I can bring.' (Chris Tomlin)  it reminds me of Abram. I don't know if he had an awareness of a need to repent or was just returning to the start because he knew no other way.

Lot and he began to quarrel because they now needed their own space. Abraham needed to stand on his own two feet as a separate entity, no longer needing to support or have Lot in his home. I am sure Gid wanted Abram on his own as He wanted to build a relationship with Abram and perhaps Lot was a distraction.

Lot, remembering the well watered areas in Egypt, and not the strife, chose the well watered plains around the Jordan. He was a man of the flesh as he pitched his tent near Sodom and Gomorrah, two cities that God was about to destroy. It was good that Abram was separated from Lot.

I came and lived with family in Tamworth, as it seemed the right thing to do but now it is time to be my own person again, no longer dependant on the relationship I have with family but rather the relationship I have with my God. Let the future begin. Amen!