I highly recommend reading the chapter quickly, but I'll summarize for those who don't. This chapter is all about when Abraham (this is when he was still known as Abram) and his nephew Lot had to separate ways because of the quantity of their possessions (flocks/herds primarily). Abraham gave Lot his choice of land to settle in, and Abraham would take whatever land Lot didn't want. I want to start off by looking at just one part of verse 10.
10 And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere ... like the garden of the Lord...
If you are anything like me at all, you have looked at someone else life, like Lot looked at the plains of Jordan. Single, it was seeing others be in committed and healthy relationships. Married, it was seeing other couples looking like they got it all together. Then longing for a baby, it was seeing everyone who didn't long for a baby, but got one anyway. It keeps going, and there are more and more layers as you build up years of disappointed hopes in relationships and beyond. We long for the greener grass because we assume that since the grass is greener, it has to be better than where we are sitting. I don't think I'm the only one who has thought, I'd do pretty much anything to have my "plain of Jordan".
But remember that I'm only showing you a part of verse ten. Let's read more of it now.
10 And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere (before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah) like the garden of the Lord...
Lot didn't recognize that the his plains of Jordan were in the upcoming path of destruction! All he saw was the greener side.
Now lets move over to Abraham for a minute. This is a bit longer, but I think the context just helps too much to shorten it.
14 And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: “Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are—northward, southward, eastward, and westward; 15 for all the land which you see I give to you and your [c]descendants forever. 16 And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered. 17 Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you.”
Lot chose what appeared to be the better land, not knowing how bad things were going to get. But Abraham, who humbly submitted to his nephew, got a blessing from God! Specifically, while Lot's land was going to be destroyed, Abraham's land would flourish. In our conversation this afternoon, this is where my mentoree pointed out something to me that I didn't catch. Let's see if you caught it.
In verse ten it says "And Lot lifted his eyes and saw.." but in verse fourteen it says that God told Abraham to "lift your eyes now and look." Lot took his own initiative to scout out what would be in his best interest without any thought to what would be in the best interest of his uncle or if there would be any consequences because of his choice. But Abraham...his humility and willingness to take the lesser land was an act of obedience to God. And God blessed him in it!
This chapter comes before the promise specifically concerning Isaac, but if you'll notice above; God promises Abraham descendants three times! Repetition is very important in the Bible, and this is three times in one paragraph. But take note! With those three promises came three declarations from God. "I will give it to you, I will make this happen, I am giving all this to you." God is in control of this situation. Later on, we see how horribly wrong things go when Abraham tries to take this promise into his own hands.
Is God showing you what He was showing me today? Is there an area of your life that you are trying to get your 'plain of Jordan' without God's influence? I can think of a few areas for myself that I need to carefully pray about. Can I just encourage you as my aunt always encourages me: If God doesn't want this particular "plain of Jordan" for you, no matter how green and lush it may look...you don't want it. What He has for you is so much better! His plans are life-giving, not life-destroying. I don't know if they will include a particular relationship status, or if they will include children, or any other dreams you might be thinking of...But I know that it will be Good.
