“AND LOT LIFTED UP HIS EYES”

MEMORY VERSE: And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. Genesis 13:10

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Chronicles 11-16

BIBLE READING: Genesis 13:9-12

There was an old man who had three sons. The firstborn married a young woman, so did the second and the third born. One day the third born passed away, and since the firstborn had no child of his own, he decided to adopt his younger’s brother son. He took him home and showered him with all the love in the world. He treated him as his own son, and helped him get into business. The young man began to raise animals like his adopted father. Within a short period of time, the young man began to prosper. He began to acquire staffs, and business began to grow at a rapid rate. Before you know it, his business had become so big that the small town they both (he and his uncle) resided could no longer contain them. Soon, his staffs and his uncle’s staffs began to quarrel. To avoid quarrels and ensure peace between them both, Abram sent for his cousin, Lot. When he arrived, Abram suggested that they split the land between themselves. If Lot choose the eastern part of the land, he would choose the western part. Or better still, if he choose the northern part of the land, he would choose the southern part of the land. The bible records that “And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that itwas well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar” (Genesis 13:10). The agreement was that Lot should choose a part of the land but he chose the best part of the land – the plains of Jordan. Shortly after he moved into the land, it was raided; Lot and his household were taken captive.

There are several lessons to learn from this story. Firstly, not everything that appears or looks good is actually good. In addition, not everything that appears or looks good is good for you. Oh the plains of Jordan looked like the “garden of the Lord” but it was not good for Lot. Not every promotion is from God. Possessing the plains of Jordan may seem like a promotion to Lot but it was not a good promotion. Also, not all promotions are promotion. Some of them are demotion in disguise; death traps, etc, and as such be wise. Any promotion that makes it impossible for one to serve God is a demotion which can lead to death. Secondly, not everything that appears good or looks good is from God. Thirdly, not everything that appears good or looks good is God’s will for your life. Fourthly, don’t choose things by their outward appearance or outward presentations. Why? Fifthly, not all that glitters is gold. There are a lot of gold plated items that appear as real gold. Sixthly, only God knows what is good. There are many like Lot today who instead of praying before making a choice have gone ahead and “lifted up their eyes” and chose. I pray they will not end up like Lot. When it comes to choosing between offers, pray and ask God to guide you. Asides from the obvious mistake that Lot choose with his eyes, Lot chose the plains of Jordan based on what he could see from afar. He had not been to the land, he had not seen the people, he had not learnt their ways, he chose based on what he could see from afar. A point to note: not all things that appear pretty at a distance are actually pretty. When you get close to some things that appear beautiful from a distance, you will be disappointed. The closer you get to a person, the more you will know the person. In Lot’s scale of preference, greener pasture came before the will of God. Lot preferred a greener pasture than the presence of God.

NOTE: The fact that a pasture is green does not mean God is there. Greener pasture also does not necessarily mean more money or promotion. Lot went to Sodom full but came out empty.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world