Ge. 13: Lot's Goodbye, the Promise of Land.

So after Pharaoh, Pharaoh, oh baby, makes Abram go, Abram travels back to familiar territory -- between Bethel and Ai. By this time, Noah had acquired a buttload of cattle, gold, and silver. He really did a number on those rich Egyptian suckers. Anyway, as he had previously done, He "called on the name of the LORD." So, no matter where he was, or what he was doing, He seemed to have a constant open dialogue with God.

This time, though, Lot was with them. He was apparently just as wealthy, with flocks and gold and flat screen HDTVs. The land was just not capable of supporting both factions, in addition to the Canaanites and Perizzites. So the herdsmen of each side got to pushing and shoving, and shouting things. Generally causing a ruckus.

Abram, not one given to enjoying conflict, comes to his senses, and realizes they have this whole land. Why fight over tiny parts of it? He and Lot are going to have to part company. It's been real. The ultimate in shrewd dealmakers, Abram says to Lot, he says, "If you go left, I'll go right. If you go right, I'll go left." Lot wasn't going to miss this opportunity. He considered his options...

Well-watered Jordan plain...or...something less. No brainer. The Bible mentions that this was before God destroyed the towns of Sodom and Gomorrah. (Sodom and Gomorrah being the southern limit of Canaanite lands as mentioned in Genesis 10:19.) So...we'll see what that's all about at some point, I'm sure. Anyway, Lot sets up shop near those cities, full of men who were wicked and "sinning greatly against the Lord." While I'm certain there were cities just as foul, this pair bears special mention, for some reason.

Lot's choice of land probably didn't upset Abram too badly. I'm sure he was a little bummed, not just because he had inferior land, but he parted ways with Lot...probably the last connection he had to his brother Haran. Lot had been with him through a lot of crazy times and upheaval. He had to have expected it, though. Abram would continue to live in the land of Canaan.

The LORD came to him, and this is the miracle of this chapter. I imagine Him putting His mighty arm around Abram, saying "...Lift up your eyes from where you are and look north and south, east and west. All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever. I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted. Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you." God had something bigger and better for Abram than simple green pastures for his sheep, which was Lot jumped on. I see myself a lot ... in Lot. Something looks great at first, so I snatch it up...missing the bigger point at times, and missing out on greater blessing because of my impatience. There would have been room for Lot in the land God gave to Abram...but only physically. God wanted to give this to Abram.

So Abram packs up and moves again to Hebron, in the West Bank, and builds an altar to God.

Questions for God:
1. Do I want to know what I've missed out on?
2. What does that really mean, like the dust? Like, really mean?