CHARACTER STUDY – Abraham and Lot

Here, there or wherever?

Genesis 13

After reading Genesis 12, I think a good question to ask is, what next Father Abraham? He had lied to save himself, forgetting that God was in control of everything. His lies save him, and even gain him wealth, but put his wife in danger. Worried about the promises of God coming to pass, Abram exchanges God’s word for his own and follows his heart into dangerous territory. He went down to Egypt a sojourner with a bright future. He came back humbled and exposed.

Genesis 13 tells us God has more than one new beginning for his people. We see that God’s promises are not dependent upon our ability to make them come to pass; they are dependent on God alone. After Egypt, Abram saw that in a new way, and that new way led him to repentance and faith once again. That’s the path of the Christian life: faith, repentance, faith. The cycle of repentance and faith is what each of us can expect from now until the day we stand before the Lord in glory.

So to get us started, What is/are your blessing(s) tied to? Is it your current location? job? friends? church? spouse? Or could it just be a good old chance?

Reading through Gen 13 (v1-6), it was obvious Abraham was a successful man and another interesting thing was those around him tended to profit from being associated with him (Look at your circle, are they been blessed been there, or are you the source of blessing or the other way round) but at every instance of the clarion call “Abraham pack your things and move,” he doesn’t flinch, never argued it. Just the good soldier in him saying ok, family! we move again

Discussion

At what point will it be better to follow intuition/logic over faith? After all, they say “It is a thin line between faith and folly”.
Could Lot be tapping from Abraham’s blessing? Gen 13:5, 8-12. Can we relate this to our surroundings?
Is appearance always deceiving? Lot saw a good land but… Abraham was like “Chairman pick, the rest is enough for me” How important is the gift of discernment? When and where in our lives/day-to-day is it needed?
What would you say is the difference in understanding between Abraham and Lot? Gen 13:14-15
In one word, what can you summarize today’s conversation as?

Conclusion

Many times it has become obvious in our journey with God, that what we think we know ends up being utter garbage, our thoughts end up being the perfect trash material and our “holy ways” end up being filthy appearances before Him. This new year, let us strive to take the stance of Abraham and say, it doesn’t matter what the climate looks like outside, your will is our wish.

Food for Thought/Prayer

Abraham understood certain principles,

He brings the blessing to the land.

o God, please bless the works of my hand in all I set to do from now on.

The blessings of the land in incomparable to what he carries.

o Christ in me the hope of new wonderful and glorious things the bible said, God please let your word manifest in my life.

As a carrier of the heavenly gene, wherever he finds himself, by association everything has to be blessed.

o God, please make me a source of blessing to those around me this year in Jesus’ name