BIBLE READING

Genesis 13:1-7 NIV

[1] So Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev, with his wife and everything he had, and Lot went with him. [2] Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold. [3] From the Negev he went from place to place until he came to Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had been earlier [4] and where he had first built an altar. There Abram called on the name of the Lord. [5] Now Lot, who was moving about with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. [6] But the land could not support them while they stayed together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay together. [7] And quarreling arose between Abram’s herders and Lot’s. The Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land at that time.

REFLECTION

Is God's will always done in our lives? Does what God wants for us always come to pass?

I used to hold a theological system that assumed everything God desired automatically happened. However, Biblical understanding and life experience have taught me that this isn't the case. I have seen too many Christians with incredible potential shipwreck their lives through decisions, habits and relationships that were not God's best for them.

I believe God has a desired will, a preferred destiny for every believer. However, the fulfilment of that will often comes down to our own daily choices and decisions more than it comes down to the sovereignty and providence of God. God is absolutely sovereign - He is in control - but in His sovereignty He has delegated us a huge amount of responsibility and authority. We can't continually do what we like and expect God to tidy up our messes.

Your decisions determine your destiny.

What about God’s grace Craig – don’t you believe that God would forgive anything? That you can still be a Christian, a child of God, no matter what you do? Absolutely I do. There is no sin I could commit that God would not forgive. But that doesn’t mean that my sin, my decisions, my actions would not destroy, or at least delay, the destiny God has for me.

One pastor I know puts it like this: YOU CANNOT LOSE WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN YOU, BUT YOU CAN LOSE WHAT GOD WANTS TO GIVE YOU.

What has all of this to do with Abram?

I believe that of the greatest determinants of our destiny is our relationships - who will be on the journey with us? Who do give time and space to in our lives, who do we covenant with?

Look at Genesis 12: 1: “The LORD had said to Abram, Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.”

God tells Abraham to leave his whole family behind and set off on the journey.

Now look at verse 4: “So Abram left, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him.”

Lot went with him. Lot was never told by God to go with him. And as we’ll see Lot turned out to be a lot of trouble!

Other than your relationship to God, probably no other factor will affect your destiny more than those people you form relationships with. The people you do life with, those who you take on your journey.

These can be anything from close friendships, to boyfriends and girlfriends, to who you will marry. They may be other relationships like business partnerships, mentors, those who you form relationships with in church.

I have seen more Christians with huge potential get sidetracked, make a mess of their lives, wander away from God – all because they made wrong choices about people they would let into their lives, people they would have relationships with.

Be choosy who you get close to. Be picky in who you open your heart to.

It's not that we develop a superiority complex and push people away who don't meet our 'standard'. Jesus was 'the friend of sinners'. It's simply that each of us have limited capacity for deep friendship and so we must allocate time, energy and emotion to those people who God has placed in our lives to help fulfil the mandate and mission He has for us. Even Jesus didn't give all of the disciples equal time and space. There were the 12, then the 3 (Peter, James and John) and then the disciple Jesus loved (John).

As we will see in the coming days, there's some people who were never meant to take the journey with you, and bringing them along will slow you down, and even put you in danger of not reaching the destination God has called you to. With Abram and Lot, it got to the stage where the tension was so great "that they were not able to stay together." (Verse 6)

On the flip side, be aware today that God may have brought some people into your life in this season to help you move forward and to be a blessing and support in what He is calling you to. You may have overlooked or missed the significance of these individuals. Keep you eyes and hearty open to divine connections and Kingdom partnerships.