Genesis 13:1-7 – Testing of faith is part of the deal

Abram’s self-serving experiences in Egypt and with Pharaoh serve to remind us that doubt in God could lead to needless troubles. He knew that God had called him into this journey and he would be going to the Promised Land of God. Yet momentarily, his trust melted into distrust. We see here the genuineness and truthfulness of God and His Word. There is no makeover even for the man God would use. His life, success and failure, was an open book for our learning.  

As Abram retraced his steps to the God pleasing life and journey, he had an excess baggage. It is none other than Lot his nephew. In the three words “Lot with him” in verse 1, we can sense that there was already some estrangement between the uncle and nephew. We get the idea that Lot just tagged along. Here we see Abram returning to Bethel where he built the altar earlier, and there he called upon God again. Here he rededicated himself and renewed his connection to God again. How needful it is in our own life to constantly come back to God to renew our connection with Him. Especially when we know that we have faltered in our walk. In our life of faith we begin at the altar of sacrifice where Christ gave Himself for us and we give ourselves to Him. But there must be many altars of rededication. We must determine to live a consecrated life. Abram’s life revolved around the altars he built for God. We will see later in this account that he ended up building another altar to God at Hebron. Abram’s life revolved around worship and so must ours be.   

The Bible here tells us that Abram was very rich. He had plenty of livestock and silver and gold. Lot his nephew also had livestock. Lot became rich because of his association with Abram. However, the uncle’s riches was more substantial. Abram’s herd, together with Lot’s herd and those of the Canaanites and the Perizzites made the land where they were sharing very clamp. Dispute was inevitable. Soon conflict arose. It’s ironical, but riches and wealth do separate relationship. But we believers must never allow money and wealth to separate friendships and relationships. Especially our relationship with God. In these seven verses, more than depicting the conflict, the Bible wants us to see the reality of the faith journey. We are reminded again that trails are part and parcel of the faith life. The first time Abram built an altar at Bethel, he was confronted with the first trial - the famine in the land. Now when he had returned to the altar at Bethel again to rekindle and reconnect with God, he experienced a second trial – misunderstanding with Lot, his nephew. Like Abram, our faith will be tested time and again by circumstances, by relatives and friends, by our bosses or colleagues and associates. The more important issue is how we should resolve the conflict. We shall learn from Abram how he did it in our next post.