A Long Eye And A Short Eye

and they make miserable work of their Christian life. They keep one

eye on the eternal city and the other eye on the well-watered plains

of Sodom. That was the way it was with Lot: he had a short eye and a

long eye. It would be pretty hard work to believe that Lot was saved

if it were not for the New Testament. But there we read that "Lot's

righteous soul was vexed,"--so he had a righteous soul, but he had a

stormy tim . He didn't have peace and joy and victory like Abram.



After Abram had given up the wealth of Sodom that was offered him,

then God came and enlarged his borders again--enlarged the promise.

God said:



"I will be your exceeding great reward; I will protect you."



Abram might have thought that these kings that he had defeated might

get other kings and other armies to come, and he might have thought

of himself as a solitary man, with only three hundred and eighteen

men, so that he might have feared lest he be swept from the face of

the earth. But the Lord came and said:



"Abram, fear not."



That is the first time those oft-repeated words, "fear not," occur

in the Bible.



"Fear not, for I will be your shield and your reward."



I would rather have that promise than all the armies of earth and

all the navies of the world to protect me--to have the God of heaven

for my Protector! God was teaching Abram that He was to be his

Friend and his Shield, if he would surrender himself wholly to His

keeping, and trust in His goodness. That is what we want--to

surrender ourselves up to God, fully and wholly.



In Colorado the superintendent of some works told me of a miner that

was promoted, who came to the superintendent, and said:



"There is a man that has seven children, and I have only three, and

he is having a hard struggle. Don't promote me, but promote him."



I know of nothing that speaks louder for Christ and Christianity

than to see a man or woman giving up what they call their rights for

others, and "in honor preferring one another."



We find that Abram was constantly surrendering his own selfish

interests and trusting to God. What was the result? Of all the men

that ever lived he is the most renowned. He never did anything the

world would call great. The largest army he ever mustered was three

hundred and eighteen men. How Alexander would have sneered at such

an army as that! How Caesar would have looked down on such an army!

How Napoleon would have curled his lip as he thought of Abram with

an army of three hundred and eighteen! We are not told that he was a

great astronomer; we are not told that he was a great scientist; we

are not told that he was a great statesman, or anything the world

calls great; but there was one thing he could do--he could live an

unselfish life, and in honor could waive his rights, and in that way

he became the friend of God; in that way he has become immortal.

There is