Advent Family Devotion December 12

Gather: around the Advent wreath and light two purple candles. Remind each other that one is the Hope candle and the other is the Peace candle.

Read Together: Genesis 13:5-8

Now Lot, who traveled with Abram, also had flocks, cattle, and tents. They had so many possessions between them that the land couldn’t support both of them. They could no longer live together. Conflicts broke out between those herding Abram’s livestock and those herding Lot’s livestock. At that time there were also Canaanites and the Perizzites living in the land. Abram said to Lot, “Let’s not have disputes between me and you and between our herders since we are relatives."

Do Together: Use dolls or legos or stuffed animals and act out the story of Abram and Lot. If you can use a phone or video camera, record your drama to watch again. First pretend that Abram and Lot DON’T find a way to be peaceful. What would happen if they didn’t get along and share the land? What would happen to all their animals and the people who took care of them? Now act out the story as it happened. How do you think they solved the problem of not having enough land for all the animals? (Thanks to Jenna Scott at e-musings for inspiring this Do Together.)

Think About:   Like Lot and Abram, we sometimes have arguments with family members. But Lot and Abram show us a good way to live peacefully with each other. How can we be more like them?  Think about an argument you had with someone recently. Did you solve it like Abram and Lot? If you didn’t solve it peacefully, can you see a way that you may have been able to do that?  

Paul writes in the letter to the church at Rome:  “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone” {Romans 12:18}. Paul says God wants everyone to live peacefully together and that those who love God and follow Jesus should be good examples to the world.

Pray Together: Dear God, help us to always find peaceful ways to solve problems and disagreements. Help us always to show others the way to peace in this world through Jesus. Amen.