Pastor Dennis Smith
We have the familiar story of Abraham and his nephew Lot in the book of Genesis. Upon their return to Canaan from a nearly disastrous sojourn in Egypt, these two brethren found themselves in conflict. The source of trouble was the fact that the land was not then able to support both of their flocks and herds of livestock because of their abundance. Abram (for that was his name at the time) graciously invited Lot to choose for himself whichever part of the land he wanted. The Bible tells us that in response to Abram’s offer, “Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where” (Genesis 13:10). And Lot chose what looked good to him.
After that, the Lord said to Abram, “Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever” (13:14, 15).
Lot lifted up his eyes and acted out of fleshly desire; God invited Abram to lift up his eyes and behold the expanse of land that he purposed to give him. Sometimes you and I need to “lift up” our eyes of faith and just take in the breathtaking view of God’s promises in Christ. Of course, that involves investing the time to take in and meditate on the Scriptures.
God then said to Abram, “Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.” God was inviting Abram to not only see, but to enjoy what he was giving to him, to walk around in it in this direction and that, to revel in it, as knowing that he was walking in the presence and blessing of the Lord himself. The same was said of Enoch and of Noah — that they walked with God. The sense conveyed by the Hebrew language here is that they walked around day by day in fellowship with God.
May you and I stay close enough to the Lord — that is to say, abide in him — that we can walk around day by day in full assurance of faith, knowing that he desires only good for his children and that he will perform all that he has purposed for us in Christ.
As the daily routine for most of us has changed, let me encourage you to immerse yourself in the Bible a little more, conciously reflecting on the purposes of God centered in Christ that you find there, especially in the epistles; purposes and promises that make life meaningful and give us hope, even in uncertain times. And then thank him for what you have gleaned, and maybe share it with some other folks by email or your social media of choice.