Gen 13: God promising Abram the land around Canaan after Abram and Lot parted ways due to arguments between their servants

Abram and Lot became exceedingly rich, and hence parted ways as the land was unable to support both their flock. God appeared to Abram to confirm the promise of the land of Canaan to him.

• v1: Abram left Egypt, bringing everything with him back to Canaan.
• v2: Abram's wealth was the fruit of God's blessing, for God had told him before that He would bless him. Outward prosperity, if well managed, is an opportunity to do even more good.
• v3: Abram went back to the place where he had his tent and altar. Although the physical altar was probably gone, he came to the place of the altar, to revive the remembrance of the communion he had with God in that place, or to remember the vows he had made to God when he first took the journey to Egypt. Jacob was sent later to the same place, where he made his vow with God. When's the last time we've gone back to our altar, to a place where we remind ourselves of what we promised God, of the place where God came and spoke into our lives?
• v4: The altar was gone, but Abram "called on the name of the Lord". Abram did not leave his religion behind when he left Egypt. And he didn't need the altar to be there to call upon God.
• v5: Lot was blessed too, probably because he was in the company of Abram.
• v6-7: Their riches set Lot and Abram apart from one another, and caused strife and contention. "People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction" - 1 Tim 6:9. Notice also, that the Canaanites and Perizzites were living in the land at that time, and could bear witness to any arguments that broke out. Always remember, that as Christians, there are other people watching, and the quarrels among ourselves give occasion to others to blaspheme.
• v8: Abram did his best to preserve the peace. He made the first effort to reconciliate, reaffirmed their close relationship, and was fair.
• v9: Abram, in separating from Lot, did not do so in such a way that their relationship was torn, but advised and humbly desired him to withdraw, hence maintaining their close relationship still. Although God had promised Abram the entire land, he was still willing to give an equal share to one who did not have an equal right, even giving him a choice, when it was technically Abram's right to choose first.
• v10-11: Lot expressed no unwillingness to part from Abram, and never showed Abram any respect or deference as an elder by remitting the choice back again to Abram. In the choice Lot made, he beheld all the plain of Jordan and saw that it was well watered. He chose the land because it was like the garden of Eden itself, fruitful and pleasant. (and yet in the next chapter we see what comes of his choice - that God destroyed the entire town, and forced him to the mountain for safety). In our choices, are we guided by the lusts of the flesh, or are we more interested in the state of our spirit?
• v13: Lot failed to consider that the men of Sodom were wicked. These men were greater sinners than others; hence we read of those that "declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not" (Isa 3:9). Their prosperity led them to sin even more - "Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy." (Eze 16:49). Lot's dwelling among them was agreat affliction to him, as he was grieved by their wickedness, as well as persecuted by them, because he would not do as they did.
• v14: God came to Abram after the latter had willingly offered Lot one half of his right, and renewed and ratified the entire promise to him. This was a timely reassurance that although Lot had perhaps the better land in the now, Abram had the promise. God called Abram to lift up his eyes to behold the promise. Where are we looking at as we go through our lives? Are we looking at where we're stuck in, in the here and now, or are we lifting up our eyes to look through eyes of faith at what God has promised?
• v16: The same God who provided the inheritance provided enough heirs who could then inherit the promise, such was its abundance
• v17-18: God made Abram walk through the land, and not settle in it yet, because God at that moment of time was still working to create a better Canaan. Abram obeyed, and built an altar as a token of his thankfulness, even before he had actually inherited the land. Are we thanking God for His promises, even if we haven't seen them as yet come to pass?