An extra day off work. Got to jump online to approve timecards - which I could/should have done yesterday but talked myself out of - want to go pick up the fallen old grapefruit from Ms. Amy's backyard (now THAT was a discussion between neighbors and hubby and I!) - and am going to the daughter's today for a BBQ later. That's going to be my day - and the rest will probably be coming home and taking a nap. I couldn't get to sleep last night; I imagine it is because I took a nap around 3PM and slept nearly 45 minutes - very deeply. My mind was wide awake with things I wanted to do today - and forgot to write down. I was supposed to go donate blood at 9AM, but I cancelled it the other day and rescheduled it for Friday afternoon. Just didn't feel like rushing about this morning. I know I cancelled it, and I got the cancellation, but I keep get the reminders for it. Oh well. Ain't going today - will go on Friday.
The neighbor behind us - the big complainer - the one who took pictures last year of hubby planting flowers IN THE GROUND in the back and we had to pull them back up because the HOA doesn't want to use water (which is why they pulled our hedges out that were back there)... took a photo of the back of Ms. Amy's house with the grapefruit on the ground that have falled from the tree during this last storm. Hubby being the president of the HOA of course got the full lecture about 'roof rats', etc. if we don't contact Ms. Amy and have her get someone out here. I told hubby that I will go over and pick them up off the ground - which caused this big discussion as to 'why should you do it?' And I responded "it's the right thing to do." I meant to do it yesterday - and totally forgot - so it popped in my mind as I was wide awake last night so I asked God to remind me of it this morning - and He has - and I've written it down now and once I do the timecards I will get dressed and go over and pick up all the grapefruit on the ground. Not that I'm a 'goody two shoes'... but it is just the right thing to do. Don't you agree?
Genesis 12:1-5 (NKJV): "Now the Lord had said to Abram: "Get out of your country, from your family and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. Then Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his brother's son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people whom they had acquired in Haran, and they departed to go to the land of Canaan. So they came to the land of Canaan."
Our message at church yesterday was one that I had not heard before, nor had I even thought about it before. Did you read the above scripture and catch it? I've read it many times and I did not catch it at all.
"Now the Lord had said to Abram: "Get out of your country, from your family and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you."
The Lord had told Abram to not only leave the country in which he was living in, but also all the relatives that lived with him in this community. It was to be Abram and Sarai, and their possessions only. BUT.... who also went with them?
"Then Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his brother's son.....
Wait - what? and Lot his brother's son? Didn't the Lord tell him from your family and from your father's house? Didn't that include LOT, his brother's son? But Lot went with Abram and Sarai on all their travels.
Now the Lord was with Abram during this time, and did not show Abram all the land He was going to give to him until Lot left. Do you remember how that happened? God blessed Abram and his possessions, and because Lot was with him, he was blessed as well. Their herds grew hugemongous - and soon Abram's herdsmen and Lot's herdsmen were fighting over water and pasture rights so Abram told Lot to choose wherever he wanted to go.
Genesis 13:8-9 (NKJV): So Abram said to Lot "Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, for we are brethren, is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you go to the left, then I will go to the right. If you go to the right, then I will go to the left."
So Lot lifted up his eyes and saw all the fertile ground and decided to take the best for himself. And he moved close to Sodom and Gomorrah. You remember what happened there, right? But, I get ahead of myself and what I want to show you in this scripture. Now read this....
Genesis 13:14-17 (NKJV): And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: "Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are - northward, southward, eastward, and westward; for all the land you see I give to you and your decendants forever. And I will make your decendants as the dust of the earth so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your decendants could also be numbered. Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you."
Did you catch it? Did you see what I'm pointing out to you? Short version - God told Abram to take Sarai, his wife, and leave everything - all relatives included. Leave them all. But he felt sorry for Lot, his brother's son, for his brother had died. So he allowed Lot to go with him. Big mistake. Why?
Because God did not give Abram all the land that he could see around him..... until Lot left. Lot was not to share in the blessings that God was giving to Abram. Lot was preventing Abram from receiving all that God had for him!
Which causes one to stop and think..... who - or what - is the 'LOT' in your life? What is keeping you from receiving all that God has for you and your family? Is it stubbornness to admit you need salvation and the freedom that comes with that? Is it addictions? Is it unforgiveness? Is it your job? Is it your recreation? What - or who - is your Lot - and keeping you away from being blessed?
As I mentioned, I have read that scripture many times and it never once soaked in that God did not bless Abram and give him the land and all the blessings..... until he sent Lot away. Got Lot out of his life. Wow. It opened up a new way of thinking for me. I'm now weighing what I have allowed in my life - and what could keep any blessing from God away. I want all of God's blessings, don't you?
So stop a moment and think about what could be the 'Lot' you have in your life that is preventing God from giving you all the blessings He wants for you and your family? It isn't just about you.... it is about your spouse, your children, your grandchildren, your great grandchildren - and so much more. What is your Lot that you need to let go of and get it out of your life? Think about it.
I prefer God's blessings far more than I do having 'Lots' in my life delaying the blessing or stopping it altogether. I'm sure you do too!
Blessings!
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