I am spending time studying Abraham. I am quite fickle in my loyalty as to my favorite Bible characters: Esther, Joseph, Daniel, Peter, Ruth. At this time in my life it is Abraham.
If you are familiar with the story, Abraham pleads with God (he actually bargains with him) to spare some of the people who live in Sodom and Gomorrah because his nephew Lot and family live there. These are the sister cities which God destroyed because they were participating in abominable sin. The Lord actually sends two angels to Lot’s home and they escort Lot and his family out of the city to spare them from the destruction of the cities. I’m giving a brief overview of a lengthy and involved story, but here is my point.
Would God have spared Lot had Abraham not asked Him to do so? Would Lot and his family have been destroyed had Abraham neglected to intercede on his behalf?
It is a rhetorical question for it is impossible to truly and unequivocably know the answer. Only God does, but it brings up an interesting aspect of prayer and God.
Peter refers to Lot as a ‘righteous’ and ‘just’ man in 2 Peter 2:7; yet, if we follow the story of Lot, once he separated from Abraham, his life changed dramatically.
Lot was blessed because of his association with Abraham and Abraham’s obedience and faith in God. It appears that when Lot separated from Abraham, Lot lost the favor of God.
Genesis 12:3, God tells Abraham, “And I will bless those who bless you. And the one who curses you, I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”
Genesis 39:5, “It came about that from the time he made him overseer in his house and over all that he owned, the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house on account of Joseph; thus the LORD’S blessing was upon all that he owned, in the house and in the field.”
It brings to question, how many of us are living on the blessings of others? How many of us expect others to pray for us and intercede with God on our behalf, have faith for us, while we ride on their coat tails?
I heard a minister once say that one of the greatest separators of God and man is the blanket. Instead of getting up and meditating with God in the morning, we selfishly pull the covers over our head. In the middle of strife, we call our preacher to pray for us and avoid studying the word ourselves or falling prostrate on the ground in front of God and coming clean. I think there is a little bit of Lot in every one of us.
I have a friend who often texts me and asks what verse in the Bible says this or what verse in the Bible says that. Since it is my nature to help, I instantly stop what I’m doing and find the scripture for her. Recently, I heard Joyce Meyer speaking about the very thing I was doing. “Let her find her own scripture because then she will be in the word.” Sometimes in our desire to help, we prevent others from establishing a relationship with God. Was this the case with Abraham and Lot. I’m not sure.
To have a personal relationship with God, you must seek Him through church, Bible study, prayer, and meditation. Relationships are complicated and involve work. If Christ spent a great deal of time in prayer, how much more should we?
Find what works for you and pursue God with all that you have. What you’ll find is up to God…
