IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Daily Bread

Abram Grows to Trust God More

Date: Mar. 1, 2025

Passage

Genesis 12:10-13:18 (ESV)

10 Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land. 11 When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife, “I know that you are a woman beautiful in appearance, 12 and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me, but they will let you live. 13 Say you are my sister, that it may go well with me because of you, and that my life may be spared for your sake.” 14 When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful. 15 And when the princes of Pharaoh saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house. 16 And for her sake he dealt well with Abram; and he had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels.

17 But the LORD afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. 18 So Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? 19 Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her for my wife? Now then, here is your wife; take her, and go.” 20 And Pharaoh gave men orders concerning him, and they sent him away with his wife and all that he had.

So Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the Negeb.

Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. And he journeyed on from the Negeb as far as Bethel to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, to the place where he had made an altar at the first. And there Abram called upon the name of the LORD. And Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents, so that the land could not support both of them dwelling together; for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together, and there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were dwelling in the land.

Then Abram said to Lot, “Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, for we are kinsmen. Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right, or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left.” 10 And Lot lifted up his eyes and saw that the Jordan Valley was well watered everywhere like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar. (This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) 11 So Lot chose for himself all the Jordan Valley, and Lot journeyed east. Thus they separated from each other. 12 Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled among the cities of the valley and moved his tent as far as Sodom. 13 Now the men of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the LORD.

14 The LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, “Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward, 15 for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever. 16 I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also can be counted. 17 Arise, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I will give it to you.” 18 So Abram moved his tent and came and settled by the oaks of Mamre, which are at Hebron, and there he built an altar to the LORD.

Daily Bread

Key Verse: 12:13:17

Say you are my sister, that it may go well with me because of you, and that my life may be spared for your sake.”

When there was a severe famine in the land, Abram made a reasonable decision to move to Egypt. He also prompted his beautiful wife Sarai to lie about their relationship so that he could gain favor with Pharaoh. His sense of responsibility for his household's well-being and security became a stumbling block, causing him to forget the presence of God in his life and lead others to sin.

God was gracious even as Abram failed to trust him and intervened to save him from Pharaoh's rage. When Abram returned to the promised land, Abram became prosperous. However, the blessing brought a different problem. The land could not support the growing livestock of both Abram and his nephew Lot, and their workers often quarreled. Learning his lessons from God's provision, Abram took the high road in resolving the problem, letting Lot choose where he wanted to stay and let him go.

Abram's action was a step forward in his life of faith. God encouraged Abram by taking him on a walk around the land and assured him of His promises. Abram might have lost the better part of the land and his nephew Lot as a companion. But he had God as his reward.

Prayer: Father, you are my provider and comforter. I fear no one as I hold to your promises. I am not afraid to be lonely, as you are on my side.

One Word: Trust God and find peace and comfort.

Daily Bread

Devoted to Prayer and the Word

Acts 6:1-15

Key Verse: 6:4

But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

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