Good Morning Friends,
Lot had chosen to live in the lush valley of
the Jordan and had settled in the city of Sodom. What looked like a good choice
turned out to be a very bad choice. War broke out between the king of Sodom and
his allies against another king and his allies. Sodom was defeated and all the valuable
possessions of the city were carried away and Lot and his belongings were
carried away with them.
“The four kings seized all the goods of Sodom
and Gomorrah and all their food; then they went away. They also carried off
Abram’s nephew Lot and his possessions, since he was living in Sodom.” (Genesis
14:11-12)
Lot suffered for his bad choice. You could
say that he got what he deserved for casting his lot with a warring people. But
Abraham reflected the grace and mercy of God and came to Lot’s rescue.
“One who had escaped came and reported this
to Abram the Hebrew. Now Abram was living near the great trees of Mamre the
Amorite, a brother of Eshcol and Aner, all of whom were allied with Abram. When
Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he called out the 318 trained
men born in his household and went in pursuit as far as Dan. During the night
Abram divided his men to attack them and he routed them, pursuing them as far
as Hobah, north of Damascus. He recovered all the goods and brought back his
relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other
people.” (Genesis 14:13-16)
Abraham put himself, his servants, and his
own possessions at risk by coming to Lot’s aid. The enemies had just defeated
the king of Sodom and four other kings. Yet Abraham, with only his own men, was
willing to go up against this powerful foe because he was that committed to his
nephew, Lot. And God delivered the enemy into Abraham’s hand and Lot was
rescued, along with those who were captured with him.
There is an example of God’s power in this
picture. The might of the human armies was not enough to defeat the kings who
took Sodom and Gomorrah captive. Yet, the servants of only one man, with God
behind them, could defeat those enemies
There is a picture of love in this story. Abraham
put himself and his people and possessions at risk for Lot. Abraham did not do
that for what he would get out of it. He did it because he loved his nephew.
There is a picture of God’s grace and mercy
in this story. Lot was rescued when he didn’t deserve it. Abraham pulled him
out of the consequences of his own mistakes. How many times has God done the
same for us!
His, by Grace,
Steve
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