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TEXT: Genesis 13:1-13; 14:11-16
ONE day God told Abraham to go far away to another place to live, to a beautiful country. Abraham minded God. He took his wife, Sarai, with him. He did not have any boy of his own. God had said someday he would give him one.
Abraham took a man called Lot with him, too. Lot was Abraham’s nephew. Abraham was Lot’s uncle.
Abraham did just what God told him. He left all his friends and began to go to the new country God told him about. He did not know where he was going but God did, so Abraham did not worry.
It was hard for Abraham to travel. They could not go in cars then. There were no cars. Abraham had many things and people and animals to take with him. Abraham was getting old now, too, but God said Go, so he was going, even if it was hard. Abraham was not afraid because he knew God was taking care of him.
After a long, long, long time Abraham came to a place called the land of Canaan. Such a good country! There were nice trees with fruit growing on them, so good to eat. Green, green fields for the animals.
Abraham and Lot lived together in this beautiful place. God gave Abraham many, many good things. He had lots and lots of sheep and cows, and men working for him to take care of all the animals. There was plenty of room for everybody and all the animals, too.
Lot also had many animals and men working for him. They would have been happy living all together but for one thing. The men who worked for Abraham and the men who worked for Lot became cross with one another. They would quarrel and fuss and say bad things to each other. Abraham was a kind and good man. He did not like to hear all that fussing and he knew God did not like it, either. My, but God does not like to hear a fuss! Abraham possibly thought, “I will go somewhere else. I do not want my men quarreling with Lot’s men. God is not happy over their quarreling and neither am I.”
Abraham talked to Lot about it.
They went to a place where they could see all over the country, and Abraham told Lot to choose which land he wanted. Abraham did not say, “God gave me this land and I want to choose first.” No, Abraham loved God; and he did not act like that.
Lot was selfish. He took the very best land for himself. It was near a river. The grass was tall and green for his sheep. He took the very best place. Abraham took what was left. It was not as good as Lot’s but Abraham did not quarrel. Abraham knew God would take care of him no matter where he was.
Lot moved into a city called Sodom. He had not lived there long when some soldiers came to that city to fight. These soldiers ran off with most of the good things in the city. They took all the food. They took some people away with them, too. They took Lot.
Now what was Lot going to do? He had been selfish, and look what happened to him. One of the men got away from the soldiers. He ran over to where Abraham lived and he said that Lot was in trouble. Abraham went right down there and got Lot away from the soldiers. He even got back all the things the soldiers had taken.
Abraham had God’s love in his heart. He was glad to help Lot even if Lot had not been very good to him.
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