February 10 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Devotional

How did Abram feel when Lot took the best part of the country, which belonged to Abram according to the promise of God?

God's people are hard to understand, especially in circumstances where they are being hurt by their neighbors. Jesus advised: "If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well" (Matt. 5:40). If they are after a dollar, give them two. Do we understand that attitude? Or do we despise it?

Other ancient teachers have advised their disciples to do the same thing. But then the reasoning was: "You should be far above that mun­dane attitude of grab while the grabbing's good. Let them have the stuff." They recommended an attitude of arrogance.

Jesus' teaching has a different frame of reference. He requires the style of someone who gathers treasures in heaven (Matt. 6:20) and who is therefore free with respect to his earthly possessions. It's what Paul called "having as not having."

God comes to Abram after Lot had left him. And God repeats the Word of promise: "Look around...." God always comforts us by repeating his Word. He wants us to set our sights on the promised future and live in the present by the power of faith. And when God's presence and promises constitute our wealth, our hearts do not cling to other treasures.

In the last lines of Genesis 13, we see a bit of this secret. Abram is picking stones from the meager soil to build an altar. For the way of one who lives with God does not go from rags to riches. Not even from good to better to best. It goes from altar, to altar, to God.

REFLECTIONS

Think about your own attitude toward earthly possessions. Ask God to give you an attitude of being "free" from the lure of things because your real treasures are God's presence and promise.

Andrew Kuyvenhoven's Daylight, a modern devotional classic, was originally published by Paideia Press in 1977. This updated edition is copyright 2009 by Faith Alive Christian Resources. You can order a copy of this revised version of the book directly from the publisher.

A man of many accomplishments, Andrew Kuyvenhoven is probably best known for his contributions to Today (formerly The Family Altar), a widely-used monthly devotional booklet associated with the Back to God Hour. Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations for this updated edition of Daylight are from the Holy Bible: Today's New International Version copyright 2001, 2005 by the International Bible Society.