Holy Spirit, as we pray through this chapter, open our eyes to see and our ears to hear two very distinct ways of life that You are carefully laying out before us. In the separation of Abraham and Lot, help us to see the separation of people who choose to live their lives in a covenantal relationship with You and those who don’t.
Father God, as we live out our earthly days in these temporary tents between a heavenly Bethel (House of God) and a hellish Ai (Heap of Ruins), may worshipping You be the consistent and constant work of our lives. May we call on Your name alone as we become living sacrifices on the altars that we build for You.
You, Lord Jesus, are the faithful Shepherd of our souls. Help us to see that without You in our lives the places and things that often look wide open, beautiful, and flourishing to us are really places where we descend into the tyranny of sin with double trouble and shackles around our feet.
We thank You, Lord, for showing us that the temptations that plague our lives never change. Keep us from being fooled by the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life. You alone overcame these temptations perfectly.
Lord Jesus, when the time comes for us to separate ourselves from people who might be the cause of strife in our lives, we pray that You would give us the grace to do it with grace and an open hand of generosity. May we never make a choice about anything without asking You about it first.
Holy Spirit, may we learn to hear the quiet whisper or the loud thunder of Your voice for ourselves. Speak through Your word, Your people, and the circumstances that You orchestrate around us to make our paths clear, even if they are not always easy.
As we choose between being submissive to Your will and being scattered without You, may we look to Jesus as our example. Remind us that what appears to be freedom without You is really bondage to sin.
Father God, keep us from settling comfortably among people who live their lives in seemingly wide open, beautiful, and flourishing places, but whose lives are an open mockery of Your will and Your ways. Remind us that if we turn our feet towards these places, it is only a matter of time before we end up walking towards them and living in them.
Father, Son, and Spirit, may we always remember that no good thing will You withhold from those who walk uprightly with You. Bless every step we take in every direction that You lead us. May the blessing of walking with You and You alone be the greatest blessing of all!
