Decision Determines Destiny

Genesis 13:1-3

Abram’s experience in Egypt taught him a great lesson. When he returned he set up his camp at the original location between Bethel and Ai and once more built an altar. He seems to be making an attempt to start over again and get back into full fellowship with God. Trouble came soon, though, and he was called to show his full commitment to God.

Life’s adversities have a way of softening us and making us feel compassion for others. In times of distress we learn that God wants us to follow his will, and part of that is helping ones that are weaker than us. Too much prosperity can cause us to become selfish and unresponsive to the needs of ones that are less fortunate and still trying to find their place in the world and God’s kingdom.

Now Abram was ready to face a major crisis in his family. He would use his experiences in Egypt to help him through this crisis.

Genesis 13:7 tells us that their was conflict between Abram’s and Lot’s servants. They had amassed such a huge herd of cattle and sheep that the area they were in was not able to sustain all the animals. They were arguing about who got what and when.

We have to remember that Abram had sinned numerous times in Egypt, but God still was blessing him. Why did he do that? Because Abram had admitted his sins and God had forgiven him.

Many times too much material goods can cause us problems. Too many children today have been spoiled by having too much. Sometimes I think we might be better to go back to the way things were in the 70’s. We didn’t have video games, not all of us had air conditioning, we didn’t have microwave ovens, but we did have something far greater. We really had families. Today so many families are pulled so many directions on a daily basis that they really have very little time to spend together. Almost all of us are guilty of trying to get more and better things that we ignore our friends and families. We need to become less selfish and show our children or grandchildren what is really important.

So, Abram had to make a decision. He did not make this decision quickly or without thought. He was a person of peace and wanted things to go smoothly, but he also wanted his decision to be pleasing to God. Abram came up with a very generous offer to Lot, he would allow Lot to decide where he wanted to take his flocks and servants and Abram would take what was left.

Lot did not take this as humility or meekness, though. He thought he saw a bit of weakness in his uncle. People look at us much the same way when we make offers like this. The world does not understand what it really means to be a Christian. They just look at the outside of why we do things and think us to be weak.

It has been said that “It is by life’s choices and not by life’s chances that happiness comes to an individual.” We make choices each and every day, they are not always huge, earth changing choices, but they are choices none the less. Every choice that we make has an impact on our lives. The decisions you made this week irrevocably had an impact on the rest of your life. It may be some little decision that you made, or a major one, but whatever decision you made this week can never be made again. It would be wonderful if we could do like Marty McFly and get in a Delorean and go back, or forward, in time. How many of us wouldn’t love to go back in time and change decisions that we made? But we can’t do that. We just have to remember that all the choices we make will have an impact on us the rest of our lives.

Lot made a selfish decision that, as we talked about a few weeks ago, ended up having a huge impact on his life. He looked upon life with a spirit of worldliness and a desire to advance materially. He shows us the ones that believe that external advantages are really the things they want out of life. He thought that was what would really bring him happiness. He didn’t realize that when these values are made the most important in our lives it is very easy for our lives to be corrupted and us to be drawn deeper and deeper into the world.

What decision should Lot have made? He could have allowed Abram to make the decision and not him. He saw a chance to get rich quick, though, and thought selfishly. He grabbed the opportunity without thinking of the consequences immediately or in the future. Lot just looked at what seemed to be good and easy. Too many people today make the same choice, the one that looks good and easy. Being a Christian today is not easy, but it is the choice that we need to make. The world will make fun of us, laugh at us, ridicule us, which makes the Christian life difficult. But we have to stand up for Jesus and allow him to use us for his glory in spite of the good appearing and easy choices that the world makes. We have to keep God and his glory in our minds and not the get rich quick schemes and the other things that the world says are so good.

When we make a decision we are always faced with the consequences of it. Lot left Abram and went to the area around Sodom. Later on we see Lot living in Sodom.

During World War II on an island in the Pacific, the only tracks in the mud were ones made by trucks and jeeps. Before a person started down one of these, he saw a sign put up by the GI’s that read, “Choose your ruts carefully. You’ll be in them the next ten miles.” That is a very good commentary on the choices that we make today.

Abram and Lot represent to us two different approaches to life. Abram was the kind of man that, if his business interfered with his religion, gave up his business. Lot was the kind of man that if his business interfered with his religion, he gave up his religion. Which kind are you?

How far down the road to moral depravity can one bad decision take us? Think back to our study a few weeks ago to the destruction of Sodom. One bad choice started the ball rolling and eventually led to Lot having to be led out of the city by angels. Decision determines destiny. We are what we choose.