But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “With raised hand I have sworn an oath to the LORD, God Most High, creator of Heaven and earth, that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or strap of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, ‘I made Abram rich.’”
Genesis 14:22-23
Abram finds himself in a country he is unfamiliar with when he and his nephew, Lot, decide to split ways. He gives Lot first dibs on location and Lot chooses the place that looks most fruitful, the place most like the Garden of Eden, and Abram settles for what’s left.
The land Lot chooses has many other kingdoms, and early in his move the kingdoms go to war. Abram gets wind of what’s happening, and he cares so deeply for his nephew, he gathers his greatest warriors and goes into battle to rescue Lot.
God provided Abram with all he needed to defeat Kedorlaomer, along with all the kings allied with him, saving not only Lot and his family but also the kingdom of Sodom.
The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people and keep the goods for yourself.”
Genesis 14:21
But Abram stands his ground and declares his allegiance and obligation to God alone. Abram isn’t rude or disrespectful, he just states the facts, He did this great deed for God not for himself or for anyone else. In Abram’s life, he only had room for one god and that God was the creator of the heavens and the earth. He wasn’t going to take handouts from another king because then he would be obligated to follow this king. Abram knew that the only one he could trust to provide for him was God.
There are so many people and idols vying for our allegiance and obligation, trying to attain the number 1 place in our heart. They see us doing good, and they know we could do great work for them as well, if only we’d follow them. So they tempt us into this type of relationship.
These people/idols promise us good things, money, power, love, knowledge, anything really….just to get us to become obligated to them.
Even Jesus experienced this same type of temptation by the devil in the wilderness.
“The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, ‘I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. If you worship me, it will all be yours.’ Jesus answered, “It is written, ‘Worship the LORD your God and serve him only.’”
Luke 4:5-8
At some point, someone or something will want your allegiance. It will tear you away from what’s right and blind you to the truth. This obligation will never fulfill the desires of your heart and will always keep you wanting more. But like Abram and Jesus, there is one, the One, that we should be obligated to, who will fill up and heal up every place in our heart and soul, and provide for every one of our needs.
Jesus explains in detail where our allegiance should be found and who we should be obligated to in order to take away every worry we could imagine.
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food , and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or stow away in barns and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that even Solomon in all of his splendor was not dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat?” Or “What shall we drink?” Or “What shall we wear?” For the pagans run after all these things, and your Heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
Matthew 6:24-33
Our allegiance has been desired since the beginning of time, and in the end, it’s always Satan trying to pull us away from God. But when we keep our eyes on God, making Him our Number 1, we have nothing to worry about and everything to gain.
So what are you waiting for? Throw off everything wanting to entangle you and keep running to God, letting your obligation and allegiance be only to Him.
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