Read Through the Bible in a Year 2018 Day 4: Poor Decisions

Good morning, everyone!

Today I'm reading Genesis 12-15.

Wow. There's a lot going on in these chapters. Pun intended. Get it? Lot.

Okay. Maybe it wasn't as funny as it was in my head.

Moving on.

So, in these chapters, Abram (later known as Abraham) and Lot go from their home country to live somewhere else. And they stay together for a time, but they have too many possessions between them, and their herdsmen are fighting, so they separate.

And Abram ends up in Hebron. But Lot chooses the place near the river Jordan, and ends moving all the way down near Sodom.

And the only other note this gets right now is this:
Now the men of Sodom were wicked exceedingly and sinners against the Lord. Genesis 13:13.

Now, having read this before, I know it's going to be important later.

But my question is this: why did Lot go so far south, when he knew (and there's no way he couldn't have heard about it) that Sodom was such a bad place? It baffles me.

And the Bible says that he chose to live in the cities, and so this could just be a geographical thing, but surely there were other cities not so close to Sodom. Right?

But I can see parallels between Lot's poor decision and some of my poor decisions. I may not have made the decision to physically live near such a place, but spiritually? Emotionally? Oh yes.

Yes. I've made decisions that left me smack dab in the middle of a metaphorical Sodom and Gomorrah. And let me tell you...it was no fun at all. And it's hard to get out. Because they want to keep you.

And we've all made those kinds of decisions. Well, most of us anyway. Right guys? Guys?

But speaking of poor decisions, what was up with Abram in Egypt? He gets there and is so afraid of being killed because of his beautiful wife, (a compliment, I guess) that he lies. And then Sarai has to sleep with the Pharaoh (at least he marries her). And then God sends trouble down on the Egyptians because (gasp) Sarai is already married! To Abram!

So then they get thrown out of Egypt.

Now is that a poor decision or what?

The moral of that story? I dunno. I just thought it was weird.

No. I'm kidding. Lying is bad. Lying about being married and letting your wife be taken to bed by someone else is also bad.

If only Abram had remembered that God is bigger than any problem we might face.

Although, to be fair, we don't know what might have happened if Abram had told the truth. I suppose it's possible that his fears could have been justified. Maybe Pharaoh would have killed him and just taken his wife.

But then the dishonor would have been on Pharaoh, instead of on Abram, and, by extension, on Sarai.

I hope that all made sense. It's still early where I am. The sun's not even up yet.

So, I actually think that's all I have for today. The rest of the chapters talk about Abram, and while it's interesting, I don't have anything to say about it. Today.

There was a chapter on God's promise to bless Abram, but I will talk about that another day, when I get to a different chapter.

So, tomorrow, I'll be reading Genesis 16-18. Until next time!