ICS Daily Devotions
Walking By Faith And Not By Sight

Gen 14:20-23 “And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.” The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, and take the goods for yourself.” But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth, that I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich’.

In order for us to understand why Abram gave a tenth of the spoils, we need to refer to the Old Testament in the Book of Genesis. The first time we clearly see the tithe in Scripture is when Abraham met Melchizedek after battle. Abraham overcame the temptation from the King of Sodom and refused the wealth of Sodom (symbolizing the world). Abraham forsook all to obey God and he refused to turn back in times of trial. Abram wanted to remember that it is God who prospered him and not the King of Sodom or the world. He obeyed the law of tithing as declaration of his dependence on God. It is a conscious decision to deliberately and intentionally put our trust in God by applying biblical principles.

Abram was someone who left the Land of Ur upon God’s calling and instruction by faith. It had become a lifestyle to Abraham that God is his sole provider. All He knew was that God had promised him a land and he was going to be a father of many nations. He believed although he was childless and age had already caught up with him. Abram’s relative Lot accompanied him and God blessed Abram and Lot richly. They had so much in the natural in term of herds. Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. He called on the name of the Lord. Abram knew that it was the blessing of God. They eventually had to part ways with Lot because the land that there were dwelling in could not contain the two families.

Abram asked Lot to choose the land, he gave Lot the priority and the privilege to choose and Lot chose the plain of Sodom that is well watered, just like the garden of the Lord. Lot was very dependent on Abram and the blessings that came through him because of God’s faithfulness. He chose the plain of Sodom that was filled with all the natural resources. Lot represents someone who trusts the world,  believes in what he sees with his natural eyes and does not have a relationship with God though he knows about God. It is easier to believe in what can be seen than to step into the unseen and kind of loose control of our lives.

1 John 2:15-16(NKJV) Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.

Sodom was a corrupt and godless city. Any association with the city was bound to lead to a compromised faith. When we choose to live like the world and trust in the world rather than in God then we will definitely pierce ourselves with many sorrows when we need to compromise with its values and principles. It is seldom a pleasant sight in the end.

Abram took a different direction from Lot. God was with him and told him that he will prosper. All that Abram could see to the north, south, east and west God had given it to him and his descendants. Abram built an altar unto God. There is a danger for us as Christians who might have chosen to trust in the world, in something that we can see the benefits with our own eyes rather than God. We live in the world but we must not operate in its ways by trusting in the world more than in God. God is always the source of our blessing. Let us live accordingly and bring the pleasant sacrifice to our Lord and Creator.

Sermon Series: Blessed by God