Take care of others today. God will handle taking care of you.
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Take care of others today. God will handle taking care of you.
When Abram rescues Lot in Genesis 14, he could have
thought of any number of reasons not to. First, Abram was placing himself
in danger.
Secondly, Lot should have known better than to live among the
people of Sodom in the first place. Now he was reaping the consequences
of his choice.
Thirdly, Abram had to have known that when he had given
Lot the choice of land in chapter 13, Lot had selfishly chosen the best
land for himself, instead of deferring to his uncle. But like the good
Samaritan, Abram knew that if someone needed help and if he was in a
position to give it, that was his privilege and responsibility as one of
God's people.
"Abram said to Lot...'Is not the whole land before you?
Let's part company. If you go to the left,
I'll go to the right; if you go to the right, I'll go to the left."
Luther commented "Although God demands
our virtues and does not want us to indulge the evil desires of the flesh
but has seriously enjoined us not only to check but entirely to mortify
them, yet our virtues can be of no benefit to us in God's
judgment...Therefore unless God turns his eyes away from our sins, nay,
from our very righteousness and our virtues, and considers us just
because of the faith which apprehends his Son, we are lost. God's mercy
alone saves us."
Heavenly Father, as I read these words I am humbled by two things. I am
humbled by the way in which Abram gave up the right--which he surely had
as Lot's uncle--to make the first choice. I am humbled because I have so
often looked out for myself first and for others second. Secondly, I am
humbled by the way in which Abram clearly trusted you to care for him in
either circumstance. Although he probably guessed that Lot would take the
better land, he trusted that your arms were not too short to care for
him. When I suspect that giving up my rights to others will allow them to
take advantage of me, help me to trust that you will care for me and
allow me to prosper as you cared for and prospered Abram. In the name of
your Son, who gave up his rights in order to save me, I pray. Amen.
Pastor Paul
thought of any number of reasons not to. First, Abram was placing himself
in danger.
Secondly, Lot should have known better than to live among the
people of Sodom in the first place. Now he was reaping the consequences
of his choice.
Thirdly, Abram had to have known that when he had given
Lot the choice of land in chapter 13, Lot had selfishly chosen the best
land for himself, instead of deferring to his uncle. But like the good
Samaritan, Abram knew that if someone needed help and if he was in a
position to give it, that was his privilege and responsibility as one of
God's people.
"Abram said to Lot...'Is not the whole land before you?
Let's part company. If you go to the left,
I'll go to the right; if you go to the right, I'll go to the left."
Luther commented "Although God demands
our virtues and does not want us to indulge the evil desires of the flesh
but has seriously enjoined us not only to check but entirely to mortify
them, yet our virtues can be of no benefit to us in God's
judgment...Therefore unless God turns his eyes away from our sins, nay,
from our very righteousness and our virtues, and considers us just
because of the faith which apprehends his Son, we are lost. God's mercy
alone saves us."
Heavenly Father, as I read these words I am humbled by two things. I am
humbled by the way in which Abram gave up the right--which he surely had
as Lot's uncle--to make the first choice. I am humbled because I have so
often looked out for myself first and for others second. Secondly, I am
humbled by the way in which Abram clearly trusted you to care for him in
either circumstance. Although he probably guessed that Lot would take the
better land, he trusted that your arms were not too short to care for
him. When I suspect that giving up my rights to others will allow them to
take advantage of me, help me to trust that you will care for me and
allow me to prosper as you cared for and prospered Abram. In the name of
your Son, who gave up his rights in order to save me, I pray. Amen.
Pastor Paul
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