The Children's Chapel Award-winning site, featuring Bible stories from a variety of authors, excellent Christian resources for children, and over 140 links to other Christian and family-friendly sites for kids. ~ A Ministry of The Missing Link, Inc. ~ Lot's Choice! (This Bible story lesson was lovingly prepared for you by a team of six Internet volunteers.) "Before you go to sleep, PLEASE pick up your dirty socks," Anna begged. "Grrr!! HOW many times have I TOLD her that!" Anna muttered to herself, as she climbed into bed. Sharing a room with her younger sister was great at times, but Kate's dirty laundry on the floor was not fun at ALL. Anna liked a clean room, but Kate could care LESS if it was clean. It's funny how DIFFERENT two people can be, even coming from the same family. Mom and Dad were coming upstairs to pray and say good night. "Maybe THEY could do something about these socks and stuff all over the place," Anna thought to herself. Entering the room, Mom could IMMEDIATELY see the war going on between the two girls and scolded them: "You two girls should be able to share better than this." For a while now, Mom and Dad had been planning to move the girls into their own rooms. Finally the bedrooms in the basement were done. Dad smiled and asked the girls, "If I were to let you two move downstairs, who would like to have the large bedroom, and who would like the room with the windows?" Dad was getting tired of their continual fighting. He saw quickly that he needed to find a way to make more room for the girls, the sooner the better. * * * Because Abram followed God's plan for his life, he and his family were blessed by God. Abram enjoyed having many cattle and other livestock. He also had gold and silver from Egypt. But soon these blessings became a problem for Abram... ...and his nephew Lot. Abram and his family were traveling away from Egypt now. They left Canaan and went back to Bethel. There they went to where Abram had camped before, between Bethel and Hai. It was the same place where Abram had built an altar. Again, Abram stopped at the altar so he could talk with God. He depended on the Lord to help him EVERYWHERE he went. All the animals and all the servants stood still and waited while Abram prayed. During this time, his nephew Lot was traveling with Abram. Lot also had MANY sheep, cattle, and tents of his own. Abram and Lot had SO many animals that the land could NOT hold BOTH of them any longer. "Hey! This is OUR watering well!" Abram's shepherds complained. "Why do you have to have it all day and night? Can't you let US have a turn?" Lot's shepherds asked. "You keep your cattle and sheep AWAY from here! This grass belongs to US!" Abram's herders and Lot's herders began to argue. Something was going to have to CHANGE. It was just TOO crowded to keep the animals together like this any longer. * * * Can you just imagine how crowded it was with all the animals and stuff, and MORE animals and MORE stuff, and.... Well, kind of like Anna and Kate sharing one room with all their clothes and other stuff. Not only were Abram and Lot living on this land, but the Canaanites and the Perizzites were living in the land, too. There were cities and plenty of land around, too. They would just have to move apart, they decided. So Abram said to Lot, "There should be no arguing between you and me. Your herders and mine should not argue either. We are family. Instead of arguing, we should separate." Abram loved Lot and did NOT want to fight with Lot or have bad feelings between Lot and himself. So Abram told Lot, "The whole land is there in front of you. If you go to the left, I will go to the right. If you go to the right, I will go to the left." Abram knew that in order to keep real peace between them, Lot should be the one to choose FIRST. Abram trusted God to bless him WHEREVER he was. * * * Lot looked all around and saw the whole Jordan valley. Trees, bushes and lovely plants filled this area. He saw that there was much water there. It was like the Lord's Garden - green and full. It could be compared to the land of Egypt. No famine or drought was seen. Sodom and Gomorrah were still large cities full of people. These people were very bad, and God had not destroyed them yet. Abram and Lot went off in separate directions. Lot chose to move east and live in the Jordan valley, and Abram lived in the land of Canaan. God was pleased with how Abram had treated Lot and kept blessing Abram. But Lot lived among the cities in the Jordan valley and moved very close to the wicked city of Sodom. After Lot had left, God told Abram to look around to the north, south, east, and west. "Abram, the land you see, I will give it to you and to your family FOREVER. And I will make your children number as the dust of the earth, so that if a man could count all the grains of sand, then they shall be able to count your children." Wow! What a promise! God also told Abram to walk all over this area and see the beauty of it. It was promised to Abram from God. God promised and He GAVE. God KEPT His promise. God ALWAYS keeps His promises! * * * THINK! 1. After Abram and his family left Egypt, where did they go? 2. The Lord blessed Abram and Lot with flocks. What kind of animals were they? 3. Why couldn't Lot and Abram live in the same area? 4. Who was fighting over the land? 5. Who chose land first, Abram or Lot? 6. Where did Lot choose to live? 7. Where did Abram go to live? 8. God spoke again to Abram. What did God say? 9. What did God tell Abram to do? REMEMBER God ALWAYS keeps His promises! A VERSE TO LEARN "Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God" (Matthew 5:9). ALTERNATIVE VERSES TO LEARN "If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men" (Romans 12:18). "...and be at peace among yourselves" (1 Thessalonians 5:13b). PRACTICAL APPLICATION Have you been in a quarrel about something lately? Or maybe you were upset because loved ones or friends were fighting with one another? How can you be wise, follow Abram's example, do God's will and be a peacemaker? Abram prayed about everything and trusted God to show him what to do. God gave him wisdom to show love to Lot and let him choose first. Ask God to help you be a peacemaker too. LET'S PRAY **************************************************** Dear God, teach me to be a peacemaker. Help me to remember to talk with you often so I can know what You want me to do and please You. In Jesus' Name. Amen. **************************************************** CAN YOU FIND THIS STORY IN THE BIBLE? Genesis 13:1-18 BIBLE STORY ARCHIVE http://childrenschapel.org/bibstory2.html * * * JUST FOR FUN Bible Story Abraham and Lot (Story with Questions) Lot's Choice (Bible Story) Bible Verse Coloring Page 1 Page 2 Crossword Puzzle Word Scramble SING A SONG! Father Abraham Word Search 1 2 ************ TEACHER RESOURCES Abraham Abraham (Little Fish Books About You and Me) Abraham (VHS Video) Abraham and Lot - Gleanings In Genesis by Arthur W. Pink Educational Patterns for Children's Ministry God Calls Abram (PDF file) Lot Leaves Abram - A Coloring Page, A Word Search, A Maze, Fill in the Blanks, A Crossword Puzzle (PDF file) Movin' and Groovin' with Mr. Abraham - Stories and Songs (audio cassette) The Strife Between Abraham and Lot (Adult Lesson) ************ ROTATION LESSONS Genesis 12:1-3 Genesis 12:1-4; 15:1-20; 21:1-6 Genesis 12:1-6; 15:1-6; 18:1-15; 21:1-7 God's Covenant with Abraham - Genesis 12-22 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Pictures Courtesy of Free Bible Images ----------------------------------------------------------------- BIBLE STORY ARCHIVE http://childrenschapel.org/bibstory2.html Add/update a Bible story resource The Children\'s Chapel - Award-winning site, featuring Bible stories from a variety of authors, excellent Christian resources for children, and over 140 links to other Christian and family-friendly sites for kids ----------------------------------------------------------------- Free Bible Stories! 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