“So Abram departed as the LORD had spoken to him, and LOT went with him.” Gen 12:4

When Abram left to find the Promised Land, he was old (75 yrs), and without an heir. He decided to take Lot with him, son of Abram’s brother who had passed away. God used Lot in Abram’s life to test him, to see whether or not he would have what it would take to raise his own son to become true heir of the covenant. It’s a fascinating study on having a father’s heart.

First of all, Abram clearly was a man of vision. One of the tactics of the enemy in our day is to keep us from thinking generationally. Families are no longer a place to raise sons and daughters to carry on our names, traditions, businesses, and wealth. We don’t need sons to share the burden of bringing in the harvest or do the chores. Dishwashers, laundry machines, dryers, and modern conveniences mean less hands are needed to manage a household. We don’t spend months chopping and splitting wood to heat our houses; we just adjust the thermostat! We could easily conclude we really don’t need family anymore. Many in the media, and academia concur. So it’s common for couples to marry today and not plan to have any children. Dogs are easier, and less expensive.

But let’s face it, it’s pretty hard to build a legacy with a German Shepherd. It’s also futile to leave your inheritance to a Siamese. It would be nice to never grow old, but since there’s never been anyone in history who has gotten younger, I think it’s likely that each one of us may become frail and need more than a lap poodle to give us a hand now and then as we age. Modernization and urbanization may have duped us into thinking families are redundant. But that is unequivocally and practically not true. Grasping that requires us to move beyond a culture which screams instant gratification to us through all its various megaphones. As it was for Abram, it begins for each of us with a vision.

God was with Abram, and it wasn’t long before his ten camels were a hundred; his hundred sheep soon became a thousand. As his wealth grew, as his possessions multiplied, he needed hundreds of servants to raise the crops and care for the animals. He had to build homes and shelters, and things needed to be repaired. All of this was supported by a busy kitchen and laundry department. Lot became wealthy too, and it was only a matter of time before prosperity would lead to change, which in their case meant putting some distance between them to allow room for each to continue to grow. As tensions built, Abram wisely sat Lot down for “one of those talks”. Then he motioned to Lot to follow him, ascending to the highest vista he could find. Directing Lot to “lift his eyes”, Abram then said something astonishing to his nephew: look as far as your eye can see, and take whatever place your heart desires. I want you to have the best. It’s yours. Be blessed!

Test passed. A true father is one who invests in his sons and daughters. When he builds, he builds with them in mind. When he moves, or plants, he does so with an eye to the future. By right, Abram was the older man. Lot prospered because Abram had prospered. Abram had every right to choose the best for himself. That is what most of us would do; indeed it is what most of us are doing. But the man through whom God would plan to entrust the promise that through his seed, his family, all the families of the earth would be blessed, this man needed to have a true father’s heart.

Abram invested in, put his hope and trust in, empowered, the next generation. Will you?