Genesis 14:22-23 22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the Lord, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and have taken an oath 23 that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the thong of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, ‘I made Abram rich.’" NIV
You know, I think it might’ve been out in the wilderness between Haran and Canaan that Abram made this oath to the Lord. In Genesis 12.2-3 the Lord said to Abram, “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” I think when that happened Abram was given the gift of faith and the ability to see the real deal from the fake.
Bera, the king of Sodom (see Genesis 14.2) said to Abram, “Give me the people and keep the goods for yourself.” What good are the goods if you haven’t anyone to help you protect them? Bera would simply keep the people and then with physical force come and take the goods from Abram. What good are goods?
But Bera didn’t count on a man with integrity; he didn’t factor in someone who lived in relationship with the Lord. What Bera overlooked was Abram’s allegiance to God. Abram said something like, “Go ahead and keep it all, just give my men what they’ve earned…” End of story.
Makes me think about how often I’ve bargained away my allegiance for some trinket. God calls me to live in covenant with Him just as Abram (Abraham) did. I am called to let Bera be Bera and to accept only what the Lord gives me; a dry crust of bread with the Lord is infinitely greater than all the riches of earth without Him.
Father in Heaven,
As I read today words like allegiance and integrity and character flooded my mind. I pray for grace to live like Abram who recognized how worthy You were; that I may I see You for how worthy You are – in Jesus’ Name, amen.
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