*Scripture: Genesis 13:1-18 (NKJV)* 1 Then Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife and all that he had, and Lot with him, to the South. 2 Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. 3 And he went on his journey from the South as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, 4 to the place of the altar which he had made there at first. And there Abram called on the name of the LORD. 5 Lot also, who went with Abram, had flocks and herds and tents. 6 Now the land was not able to support them, that they might dwell together, for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together. 7 And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram's livestock and the herdsmen of Lot's livestock. The Canaanites and the Perizzites then dwelt in the land.
8 So Abram said to Lot, "Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are brethren. 9 Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left." 10 And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere (before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah) like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt as you go toward Zoar. 11 Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east. And they separated from each other. 12 Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent even as far as Sodom. 13 But the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the LORD. 14 And the LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: "Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are--northward, southward, eastward, and westward; 15 for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever. 16 And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered. 17 Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you." 18 Then Abram moved his tent, and went and dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and built an altar there to the LORD. *Devotion* After being forced to face his sinful behavior, brought on by his failure to trust that the Lord would guide and protect him in Egypt, Abram returned to the altar of God. As if to make a new beginning, Abram returned to the place where he had made an altar. Here he again called on the Name of the Lord in order to seek strength for his weakness through renewed communion with God. Although his flight into Egypt resulted in his deceit, God stood ready to restore him and to give him continued assurances of His grace. Though God forgave the sin, it appears the temporal riches acquired in Egypt under sinful false pretenses turned out to be a source of trouble, rather than a blessing. This earthly abundance threatened to cause strife between Abram and Lot. After their separation Abram built an altar at Mamre. Abram once again sought strength to believe what day by day appeared a greater impossibility. Continual communication with God is essential to a life of faith, and necessary in order to rightly use the blessings, meet the trials, and discharge the duties of life. Contrast the actions of Lot on the other hand, who pitched his tents near Sodom. Since the men of Sodom were known to be wicked, Lot was flirting with temptation by choosing to live near them. Lot and Abram are a study in contrasts. The former looked upon the land selfishly and coveted; the latter looked as God commanded, and was blessed.
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