Genesis 13:14, “And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: “Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are—northward, southward, eastward, and westward.”

It is easy to lift up your eyes, survey your circumstances, and conclude “This is all there is.” In the Lord, whatever the circumstance, and the cause thereof, until He graduates us to glory, “this,” present circumstance experienced, is never “it,” as in the ending. Still, this realization does not automatically clear the way before you; but we cannot underestimate the spot where we presently stand. 

As Abram (later Abraham) and Lot, their respective houses having grown to a size that would not allow them to dwell closely together, agree to separate, Abram leaves the choice of direction to Lot. Lot lifted up his eyes and chose what seemed prosperous in Sodom and Gomorrah, and settled where it pleased him (Gen. 13:10-13). Abram lifted up his eyes at the Lord’s command and learned to see according to promise rather than appearance. He first looked, and then walked (Gen. 13:14-17). 

On the spot where Abram experiences another separation, the first having occurred when he left his homeland and father’s house in obedience to the Lord’s call, (Gen. 12:1), he now parts with Lot. Childless and landless, the Lord tells Abram to look, and then walk. To the eyes of the “ites,” the numerous inhabitants of the land, Abram appeared not only as a stranger, but a trespasser. 

But when Abram looked מִן-הַמָּקוֹם/min ha’makom, “from the place” or “from that exact spot” where he stood, not to the right or left, or where he would hope to be, but where the Lord placed him, he was drawn deeper into God’s unfolding plan for his life. 

Do not overlook the spot where it seems that all has been stripped away, the “this is it” place, as it is from there, when we hear Him in faith, and begin the walk, that we find the promise inspiring Paul to write, “Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:6). 

As Abram lifted up his eyes to behold the promise, we lift our eyes beyond the mountains to the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth, from whom our help, purpose, and promise come (Ps. 121:1-2), to the exact spot where we presently stand, leading us to the place Yeshua/Jesus has prepared (Jn. 14:2-3). 

The story is not finished. The Lord who began the work is still bringing it to completion. 

Maranatha. Shalom.