Dear friend, what do you think our God is like? You know already that our God is Holy, Just, Loving, and He is Creator. Also, our God is Generous, and He rewards everyone who gives cheerfully. The Bible says: “For God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7)
We want to tell you a story about how Abraham and Lot divided the land. Surely you remember how the Lord spoke to Abraham and told him to go to the land of Canaan. Abraham believed God and obeyed what God commanded him. Abraham’s nephew, Lot, came along with him to Canaan. Lot’s father died and Abraham took care of him. Years later Lot’s possessions were so great that the territory was too small for both of them to live there. The Bible says: “And Lot, who went with Abraham, also had flocks and herds and tents, so that the land could not support both of them dwelling together; for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together.” (Genesis 13:5-6) Abraham’s shepherds and Lot’s shepherds argued with each other. They could not divide the land because all of them wanted the best pastures. Their argument reached Abraham. Abraham was a generous man and he wanted to divide everything justly. He loved Lot and cherished their friendship. That is why he called Lot and let him choose first. Abraham said to Lot: “Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right. Or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left.” (v. 9) Lot looked and saw that he liked the Jordan Valley. This land “was well watered everywhere like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt.” (v. 10) And Lot chose it. What about Abraham? What was left for him? He was left with a less fruitful land. Abraham relied on God and knew He would not leave him. And he was right. “The Lord said to Abraham, after Lot has separated from him, ‘Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward, for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever. I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also can be counted.” (v. 14-16) Dear friend, Lot chose the best land, but it did not make him happy. His life had a lot of sorrow. Abraham did not become poor by giving the best. God blessed him abundantly. Jesus says, “Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” (Luke 6:38) Dear friend, if you hope in God, you can be generous, because the Lord always brings abundance. The Bible says: “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” (2 Corinthians 9:6) Pray with us now this prayer: “Lord, continue to change my heart and make it more sensitive to other people’s needs. Teach me to give and do Your will in everything. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.”
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