JANUARY 9 LEAVING LOT

The Lord said to Abraham, "...Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee..." (Genesis 12:1).  Note that Abraham was to leave his kindred behind.  Yet, in Genesis 12:4 we read,  "So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him."  A short statement, but one with a depth of meaning.

Lot and his family turned out to be nothing but trouble for Abraham.   Problems first arose when the land could not support both of them and their livestock, and strife arose between their herdsmen.  Genesis 13, records how Abraham gave Lot the opportunity to choose land and separate from him.  Instead of choosing property somewhere in Canaan,  Lot chose to live near Sodom and Gomorrah. It was a beautiful and fertile place, but the cities were filled with sinful, idolatrous people.  Sometimes things that look good on the surface are not so good when you take a closer look through eyes of faith.  Why didn't Lot choose some land in Canaan?  The Promised Land  was well-able to support  both him and Abraham.

Abraham took Lot with him when he left Haran, and Lot's problems became Abraham's problems.  Genesis 14 records how Abraham had to rescue Lot when he was taken captive by the enemy.  Genesis 19 records the final judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah and how Abraham had to intercede to save Lot.

When an angel came to rescue Lot and his family from destruction in Sodom, Lot tried to persuade his sons-in-law to go with them, but they refused and even mocked him.  During the evacuation, Lot's wife looked back in violation of God's instructions and she died.  Lot's daughters later committed incest with him because their husbands had remained behind in Sodom and were killed.  Are you beginning to see why God told Abraham to leave his kindred behind?

As you travel towards your own spiritual destiny, you, too, may be required to part with family or friends. Some partings may be simply the result of your need to move on to the next part of your spiritual journey.  But there may be times when God commands you to separate from someone, and if and when He does, you must do it!  If you do not obey and remain attached to that person, their problems will become your problems.  

It was only after separating from Lot that God spoke to Abraham once again.. "And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him..." (Genesis 13:14).   Abraham was about to receive the details of his divine destiny.  And it happened after the separation from Lot.  

Has God shown you someone or something from which you must separate?   You may not receive revelation of the next step in your journey towards destiny until you do so.