Title: Faith is to look (Genesis 13:1~)
Contents
Even people who have faith are sometimes in conflict with those around them. Among them, in two cases, it is difficult to know where to find the resolution of the conflict. This is when you have a problem with the closest people who shouldn't have a conflict. For example, family, friends, members of the same church, and people who have maintained close relationships for a long time. The same goes for money-related conflicts. Although it is necessary for life, I have seen many cases where people do not give in to each other when it comes to money, which makes it a difficult problem. How have you been coping with these issues? If you are in such a conflict right now, the situation in today's text will inspire you.
In today's text, Abram and Lot had so much possessions that it became difficult for them to live. So there were frequent quarrels between Abram's shepherds and Ruth's shepherds. We're not fighting because of lack of them here, but rather because of too many of them.
1. Like Lot, are you selfish and rude and do not look back when the opportunity arises?
What did Lot do? First of all, Lot today was a selfish and ungrateful person. Even though Lot knows that this fight has happened, he endures to the end with his pride. And how grateful I am for Abram's suggestion, but he does not say a word of concession. My father-in-law, like my father, makes this concession and tries to help him, but he leaves without saying a word of thanks. He was such a selfish and ungrateful person.
Second, he was a man who valued visible material abundance as the highest value. In today's text, Lot saw the entire Jordan field in the distance. When I saw it, it looked good, like the garden of the Lord. So I choose there. However, those places were Sodom and Gomorrah, which was the center of sin at that time. But Lot went there. Lot was a materialist, a golden almighty, who valued visible money and material abundance as the highest values. He was an opportunist who never considered anything else when he had the opportunity. Ecclesiastes calls out to people like Lot. “Rejoice in your youth when you are young, and let your heart rejoice in the days of your youth, and walk in the desires of your heart and in the sight of your eyes; but know that God will judge you for all these things.”
Dear saints, we who believe in Jesus today also look at the things of this world. Like Lot, we are selfish and do not know grace and gratitude. They say that they are the Lord's people, but they have our greed and selfishness that are not different from the world. Even those who do not believe in Jesus are criticized for being very selfish because they do not have enough. no. When we are like Lot, we cannot help but quarrel. Are you not like Lot?
3. Abraham speaks first and yields - it is better to give than to receive.
But what about Abraham? In today's text, we find a very good personality of Abraham. First of all, Abraham speaks first to resolve the conflict through dialogue. And Abraham abandons his uncle's authority and yields to his nephew. Abraham suggests that we, as one blood, live separately. We too learn from Abraham one way to build relationships. It is about talking first and trying to resolve conflicts through dialogue. Let's talk first.
Second, he made concessions. When Abraham solved the problem today, if he had been in the habits of the previous culture, he would have overpowered Lot with the authority of his uncle and picked a good land first. But he yields to Lot as a man of God. He yields, despite having had the opportunity to take the good land first as an adult. Abram is a wonderful person. He was a loving person who spoke first, yielded good things, and was considerate of others.
Jesus said this: “I tell you, do not oppose the evil one; if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and whoever accuses you of you, who wants to take your tunic, also has your cloak, and whoever compels you to go duckling, that person. accompany you and mile, give to the one who asks of you, and do not refuse from the one who wants to borrow from you” (Matthew 5:39-42).
Are we practicing concession and love like this? Are we helping each other and working together to expand the kingdom of God?
4. Faith is seeing.
Abram had no choice. Abram was probably confused. God made a promise to him. “The LORD said to Abram, “Lift up your eyes and look north and south and east and west from where you are. If you are able to number them, your descendants will also be numbered. Arise, walk through the land length and breadth, and I will give it to you” (Genesis 13:15-17).
When we first yield and suffer a loss, God will compensate for it. He will fill you with something better and bigger than yielding.
Abraham looked to this promise. I looked to God who gave me this promise. God has fulfilled this promise. Lot, on the other hand, looked only at material things and opportunities. As a result, he lost everything in Sodom and Gomorrah and barely survived.
What are you looking at? We must look to God like Abraham. And the harder it gets, the more we should look to God's promises. The Bible is rich in wonderful promises that we must hold on to. So, faith is seeing. True faith is not seeing people. It is not seeing material and opportunity. And looking to God who gives us true satisfaction. Even in a dark situation where I can't see anything, I look to the Word of God, which is a light and a lamp for my path. That is faith. God will bless those who have such faith.
5. Worship where you are
Finally, another aspect we learn from Abraham is that he was always a worshiper wherever he was. Shepherding requires going to a place with plenty of water and plenty of pasture. But Abram went to the place where he had worshiped before and worshiped God. Abram always remembered the God who blessed him and made him prosper. God was a God of love and power who met and walked with him personally. Abram protected and guided him even during his wandering life, forgave him for doubting the Lord, rescued him from the danger of suffering great tribulation due to his wrongdoing on the spot, and added many wealth to him. that it did. What we offer to the God of grace like this is worship.
The first thing he did after receiving a surprising covenant from God was worship. Let's look at verse 18. “So Abram moved his tent, and came to live in the oaks of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and there he built an altar to the Lord.” After hearing the voice of God, he did not hesitate to build an altar right where he was. We, too, should worship before God in our daily lives and become worshipers who remember God.