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Now Look Up
by: Janine Scott-Lowe, MD
Genesis 13:14-15, 17: And the Lord said to Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, "NOW LOOK UP, and look from the place where you are...for all the land which you see I will give to you and your seed forever...ARISE and WALK THROUGH THE LAND...for I will give it unto thee."
This Scripture represents a change in Abram's life. Prior to this, Abram had been called to leave his home, and to journey on to Canaan (the Promised Land). Abram traveled with his family, his father (Terah) and his nephew (Lot). Terah ended up settling in Haran, never making it to Canaan (another story, another time). Lot and his family continued on with Abram and his family. By the time of this Scripture, both Abram and Lot had accumulated many posessions. Genesis 13:2 says that Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. Genesis 13:5 says Lot also had flocks and herds and tents. Their "substance was so great" that the land was not large enough to hold all that they had together, so they could no longer live with one another. This caused strife (conflict) between Lot's herdsmen and Abram's. To keep the peace, Abram allowed Lot to choose the land that he wanted to live in, while Abram would take that which he did not choose. Lot chose what looked like the best of the land (plain of Jordan, towards Sodom and Gomorrah), while Abram lived in Canaan.
It was AFTER THIS FINAL SEPARATION between Abram and the last of his "old" life (the final memeber of his extended family), that the Lord told Abram today's Scripture. Abram was told to LIFT UP HIS EYES (LOOK UP), and SEE ALL that the Lord was going to give to him and his descendants forever. AFTER THIS SEPARATION, God not only TOLD Abram of the promise that He had for him (as He did in Genesis 12:1-3), now, Abram WAS ABLE TO ACTUALLY SEE THE PROMISE RIGHT BEFORE HIS EYES.
This is how I now feel at this time in my life with the ending of the weekly writings on His Hands Extended Online, and the continuance of the daily writings on the All Things Encouraging blog. It was one year ago today that God called me to begin my Internet Journey. "The Week's Word" was born, and now, 52 writings later, that chapter is over and a new one has begun. The old has gone and the new has come. I am sure that the Lord has even MORE in store for His Hands Extended Online (stay tuned), but for now, I am LOOKING UP and SEEING ALL that He has planned and promised for me that is and will continue to come to pass. Our God is a PROGRESSIVE God; truly, the LATTER rain WILL be BETTER than that in the past. THE BEST IS YET TO COME!
This is my encouragement to you today. Let's learn from this brief synopsis of Abram's journey from his home to the Promised Land. First of all, let us be OBEDIENT TO THE LORD when He calls us out of WHATEVER He calls us out of (maybe not a PHYSICAL place, although it may be, but perhaps a SPIRITUAL position, or BONDAGE/ADDICTION/SIN, or our COMFORT ZONE). Next, let's NOT be like Terah who BEGAN THE JOURNEY, BUT DIDN'T COMPLETE IT, instead SETTLING in Haran. We don't want to SETTLE. We don't want to live in MEDIOCRITY. We want to GO ALL THE WAY IN EXCELENCE to INHERIT OUR PROMISES. The lessons from Lot and his family are multiple, and will be dealt with at a later time. For now, let's try not to let the LUST OF OUR EYES cause us to become COVETOUS, desiring what we THINK is the BEST for ourselves. Let us NOT be SELFISH as Lot was, not considering the feelings of his uncle who was the one who received the call and brought Lot and his family ALONG WITH HIM. It was ABRAM who should have gotten the best of the land (in the end, he did...stay tuned to read this exciting story!) Most of all, let us be like Abram, OBEYING THE CALL OF THE LORD, FOLLOWING HIS DIRECTIONS, being PEACEMAKERS, and MAKING IT ALL THE WAY TO OUR PROMISED LANDS.
With this, I say SO LONG FOR NOW to "The Week's Word," and HELLO to "All Things Encouraging." I truly DO LOOK FORWARD to ALL that God is GOING TO DO with this, HIS ministry, and for HIS glory!
God Bless!
Janine
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