Where do you want to go?

 

 The story of Abram, or Abraham as he became known, is one of the most well-known stories in the Bible. It is the story of a man who was given the promise that his children would become a great nation. His offspring were to be the chosen people of God. This promise and Abraham's belief in it was accredited to Abraham as righteousness. 

Before the business of building a nation began, however, Abram still had to live life in the day to day. He still had to work tending the sheep and make sure his family could eat. Abram had a nephew named Lot he was helping as well. Abram and Lot became so successful with their herds of sheep, that they needed to separate so the flocks and shepherds could continue growing. Abram knows that he will one day inherit a land called Canaan. It might be in the future, but it will come. Lot wasn't given any such promise, so his eye is on the immediate. The two men come to a fork in the road. There, each man is drawn to a homeland. Abram gives lot the choice to go east or west. Lot sees a a beautiful plateau of grass and streams. It's close to cities that would be an easy access for trade with people. The other land is further out. More rocky than flat. Lot chooses what most of us would, the flatland close to town. It makes sense. Lot moves to the area near Sodom and Gomorrah, Abram goes into the land of Canaan. Later, each man ends up in very different places. Lot ends up desperately trying to save himself and his family from destruction, having compromised the lesson he had learned from Abram earlier in life. Abram remains a man of faith. Quietly working among his sheep in the land of Canaan. Seeing how the Lord continues to bless Abram and his flocks of both sheep and people. 

We also have a choice. A choice between a future promised land or the more immediate gratification of a greener pasture now. Most of the time, we are like Lot. Choosing the option that is most advantageous to ourselves. Not always in a directly selfish or self-promotional way, more in a this works best for me and my family way. It's not necessarily wrong, but it's not necessarily guided by God' either. When we choose to go the route that's most convenient, we sometimes miss the lesson of dependence on God that draws us closer to Him. 

If we chose like Abram to live a life that was based in faith rather than what we can understand, our lives might have a lot more questions. That is scary as all get out. We also know that God tells us not to fear at least 365 times in His word. Living a life of dependence on God allows us to grow in our faith in Him and surrender our striving to live life on our own. 

Abram and Lot each came to very different ends. Lot ended up dying in a cave with his two daughters. Abram did indeed go on to become the father of many nations. Each man chose his path. Each one was influenced by the land he chose to live in. What choice are you making? Who will you let influence you?

While we can't look into the future to know where our first steps might lead us, we can know that living a life of faith and obedience will always lead us to the kingdom of God.