The Danger of Human Afeection
Chapter Two: THE DANGER OF HUMAN AFEECTION
ABRAHAM was called the " friend of God, and the Lord Jesus Christ said in John 15 of those who believe in Him, " I have not called you as servants but I have called you as friends" because he wants to give us all things which He received from His Father. As we begin to grow spiritually we will enjoy our friendship with the Lord Jesus Christ and will talk to him very freely, and tell Him all our secrets, and He will also talk to us lovingly and show us many new things day by day. We are reminded in Matt.11: 25that things, which are hidden from the wise and prudent, are revealed to babes.
Within a period of forty years God appeared to Abraham ten times. At every appearance He revealed a new secret of divine friendship, in fact, in these appearances could be regarded as ten steps of divine friendship. We have already seen in chapter 12 how God appeared twice to Abraham. The third time God commanded to leave the country and go to a new country, but God did not tell Lot to go with Abraham. Only because of human sympathy Abraham agreed to take Lot with him. Lot was a nephew of Abraham, and may have requested Abraham:" Uncle, let me go with you." Perhaps Abraham refused Lot at first, but later, seeing his tears he must have agreed. Men rarely shed tears. Ladies have the privilege of shedding tears whenever and wherever they like- it may be at the bus stand or at the station. If they want money from their husbands they often shed tears and get it. It is very effective way of softening the heart of the husband! Ladies can shed tears and wipe them away-tears are an ordinary thing with them, but when a man shed tears it is not ordinary thing with them. Lot may have shed tears to soften heart of Abraham, and finally Abraham must have agreed to take Lot with him. Many of us miss God's best by yielding to human feeling and emotions, and many believers are lost out because they have been carried away by someone's affection and consequently do not listen to what God says, nor obey Him.
Abraham agreed to take Lot with him, but after a while there came a strife between Lot's servants and Abraham's (Gen.13: 7) Human affections always leads to strife, and we must remember that every affection must be sanctified by the Lord Jesus, whether it be affection for husband or wife, children, parents bothers, sisters or relations. Unless it is sanctified, it will one day bring trouble. In Matt.12: 48-50 we read our Lord's mother, sisters and brothers they had an extra claim over the Lord Jesus. They sent a message to him demanding to see Him, so our Lord Jesus said; "Who is my mother, and who are my brethren?" Be sure affection for husband or wife, children brothers, sisters and relations do not keep you away from God. How often we find people who prefer to love their relations than to do the will of God. They think "How can I leave so and so? How can we hurt so and so? How can we wound so and so?" At the same time they grieve the Holy Spirit by going against the will of God.
It is quite clear that Lot has no desire for heavenly things because when Abraham asked him to choose the land which lay before him, Lot choose a good land not far from Sodom and Gomorah (v.10) Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent towards Sodom. Lot knew the condition of Sodom and Gomorah at that time. It was not a secret the cities were well known everywhere for their wickedness and shame. Abraham said to Lot: " If you go to the left, I will go to the right, and if you go to the right I will go to the left." Lot chose a place not very far from Sodom and Gomorah. He was attracted by the fertility of the land. He might have thought, " I am not inside Sodom and Gomorah. I am going to live outside." But in chapter 19:1 he was inside Sodom. In those days elders of the city come to the gate for judgment, and soon he was made an elder of the city. He probably intended to live outside the city, and possibly thought that he would do some good when the men of the Sodom and Gomorah requested him to be an elder. In chapter 13:5 we are told that he had much wealth, and came to Sodom with his flocks, herds, and tents. Then he saw the fertile land and in short time he became still more prosperous, and probably because of his prosperity the men of Sodom and Gomorah asked him to be an elder. We see clearly what was in the heart of Lot in response to these things. He desired popularity and when he became more wealthy he also became more ambitious for name and fame. Many believers in the same way become more ambitious for name, power and authority. They are also anxious to become leading men in the assembly, not because they have spiritual concern, but because they what a name. Please take warning, and do not let worldly prosperity deceive you. What God gives in his own time is far better than earthly riches.
We see in Gen. 12:1 that even though Abraham had to make a very big sacrifice in leaving Ur of Chaldeans, yet God has some other way to compensate him. He did not have to go to Sodom and Gomorah to get more cattle and money. God in his own way began to supply his need. So we believers should not adopt worldly ways or methods to get more money or income, for God has his own way to give us what we need.
We are told in verse 14 that after Lot was separated from him, God appeared to Abraham. After he had obeyed God and separated from Lot, the Lord gave Abraham further instructions. He said to him, "Lift up now thine eyes and look from the place where thou art, northward and southward, and eastward; for all the land thou seest, to thee will I give it and to thy seed" (v.14-15). God was showing to Abraham more and more what kind of an inheritance He had for him and for his seed.
Though we may hear of our spiritual inheritance from different preachers, yet we do not often understand what it means. Many are like Jacob as we see him in Gen. 28:13-15,20. God promised so much to Jacob but in verse 20 he was thinking only of his physical need and his protection. God had promised to give him more than he could ever imagine or think. It is only as our attention is enlarged that we can understand spiritual things. God told Abraham to look northward, southward, eastward, and westward and to walk through length and the breath of the land to claim his inheritance by faith. Imagine yourself having to walk throughout your lifetime non-stop twenty-four hours a day. That is what Abraham would have had to do. God said in effect: " I am going to give you an inheritance which cannot be measured by any human measurement."
For us also, it is only by our spiritual enlargement that we can know and measure the inheritance God has given us. We have to go through many situations to be given a large spiritual vision. God was showing Abraham that is was only through fellowship with God, that is with the living God, that he could understand God's ways.
Many think more of Bible knowledge than of the fellowship with God. They do not get tired when reading the Bible or giving a sermon. They enjoy Bible study, but they find it difficult to spend time with the God. They blame their knees or their backs. How can I stay on my knees when my back pains me? Please blame your hearts not your poor knees. It is difficult to spend time with the living God because your feelings and thoughts trouble you, or they are wanderings here and there. Yet it means refreshing and blessing to have time with the living God (Isa.40: 31), and by true fellowship with living and loving God you become stronger and stronger.
The Lord met Abraham at Hebron. There he was building an alter by which he began to thank God for making him righteous. The more we worship God the more we enjoy true fellowship. Try it. When you go upon your knees do not think of any request of supplication but just go on thanking the Lord for what he has done to make you righteous. Say to him: "O Lord I have no request other than I want to be with thee and in thy presence. I want to stay in thy presence to feel that thou art with me." Such a fellowship will inspire you, and God will be able to show you to do, according to His own will.