Reclaiming the Truth
“And he divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and defeated them and pursued them to Hobah, north of Damascus. 16 Then he brought back all the possessions, and also brought back his kinsman Lot with his possessions, and the women and the people.” – Genesis 14.15-16
Redeeming the Time
Abram has pursued Lot’s captors a long way, but now it is time to fight. The forces are divided, and a night attack is launched. Abram succeeds and recovers what has been lost. But it isn’t just Lot that has is recovered. Verse 16 says that, “he brought back all the possessions…and the people.” I find it interesting that the people who did not know Abram were rescued by him. Abram may have gone to rescue Lot, but he rescued all that was lost. The possessions and the people were rescued.
Put yourself in the place of the Sodomites who were rescued by a foreigner of no relation to them. Later in Genesis 14, we see the new king of Sodom greet Abram upon his return. The very king of Sodom didn’t go out to rescue his own people. Just like Lot was swept up in the devastation of Sodom’s destruction, the people of Sodom are now swept up in the beauty of Abram’s rescue. Have you ever experienced these realities in your life? Maybe you were blessed through the blessing a friend or family member received. Maybe you were harmed by the mistakes of someone close to you.
Regardless of your individual story, we have all been impacted by the sin of one man and at the same time blessed through the sacrifice of another. Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 15 that death came through Adam, but life is available through Jesus. Did the Sodomites deserve to be rescued by Abram? No, and neither do I deserve to be redeemed by Jesus. If I am honest with myself, at times I think God rescued me because I just happened to be there instead of Him moving Heaven and earth to rescue me. Don’t miss the truth that Jesus came on a rescue mission because you were lost. He came for you. You were not just an extra person he happened to rescue. You are the one that he longs to bring Home.
Reflection
- Where have you experienced a blessing as a result of your proximity to someone else?
- When you think of God’s redemption, do you think of yourself being the one pursued or one who happened to benefit from being near someone God loves?
- How does the reminder that God came for you encourage you today?
Resting in His Redemption
Reflect on these words and don’t miss the power of the last sentence.
21 “For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. 24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.” 1 Corinthians 15.21-26
