The Problem of Lots

[Servant Boy]

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Genesis 13:5 Now Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds
and tents. And the land could not sustain them while dwelling
together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able
to remain together. And there was strife between the herdsmen of
Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. Now the
Canaanite and the Perizzite were dwelling then in the land. So Abram
said to Lot, “Please let there be no strife between you and me, nor
between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are brothers. “Is not
the whole land before you? Please separate from me; if to the left,
then I will go to the right; or if to the right, then I will go to the
left.” Lot lifted up his eyes and saw all the valley of the Jordan,
that it was well watered everywhere—this was before the LORD destroyed
Sodom and Gomorrah—like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt
as you go to Zoar. So Lot chose for himself all the valley of the
Jordan, and Lot journeyed eastward. Thus they separated from each
other. Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled in the
cities of the valley, and moved his tents as far as Sodom.

At this point, I wonder if Abram and Lot can be described as Sheikhs
or rulers for the amount of wealth the two of them had accumulated. In
those times, wealth was determined by the size of flock and precious
stone/metal one had and both Abram and Lot were extremely wealthy in
that respect.

The land was unable to sustain both their families and flocks, which
caused friction between their herdsmen who were responsible for
grazing the flock and this prompted Abram and Lot to meet and discuss
the brewing storm.

It is obvious from Abram's offer to Lot that he was being a true
gentleman in permitting Lot to chose his Lot, so to speak, and Lot's
willingness to take up the offer showed the strain in their
relationship and how important this was for both sides.

Seems Abram had clearly learnt from his last bitter mistake of making
his own decisions without consulting God and Lot on the other hand was
making the error that we often do, he chose based on what looks
greener to his eyes.

Why would God permit Lot to make this decision and what are we being
taught today?

It seems like our actions determine history and God is powerless
because in the above transaction, there was no mention of God.
However, we need to remember that this same God is the one who
redeemed Abram from the clutches of the Egyptian Pharaoh, He is the
one who promised Abram to make his descendants as many as the dust of
the earth, He is the one who flooded the earth and is the one that
promised never to do it again and therefore is the one whom history is
all about because regardless of our thoughts and actions, His will is
superimposed on the plans of our lives and He is in control.

Lots choice was a natural human choice where we act upon what we see
and think and we saw the problem with that same choice made by Abram
in chapter 12 when he chose to go to Egypt to escape the famine in the
land God promised him.

I pray today that we will realize how God is all-knowing and in
control and that we need to depend on God for our daily bread rather
than on our own selves to determine our future.

In His Loving Service,
ServantBoy

Proverbs 28:9 He who turns away his ear from listening to the law,
Even his prayer is an abomination.