Week 31: July 28 - August 3, 2003

Key Passage: Genesis 13: 8-11,13

So Abram said to Lot, "Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are brethren. "Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left.” And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere (before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah) like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt as you go toward Zoar. Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east. And they separated from each other. But the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the LORD.

There is a wise saying that not all that glitters is gold. Many things in this world are not really as they appear. There are occasions when we are drawn between choices, and Satan allures us to the wrong direction by flashing to our eyes things that appear right and good, but which are contrary to God’s will for our lives.

Lot made a choice based on corrupt human consideration rather than the wisdom of God. He is an example of a carnal man – a man who seeks to gratify the desires of the flesh rather than do the will of God. He had followed his uncle, Abraham, in answering the call of God, but because of strife had to separate from him. On finding himself in between suggestions of which way to go, he chose to dwell among the sinners of Sodom because the land was beautiful and prosperous. He thus abandoned his God-given vision.

The worldly vision is very deceptive because it captivates the eyes, which is the most prominent human sensory organ, allures the human earthly appetite of greed, lust and pride, and obliterates the God-given vision of a man. A person pursuing a worldly vision may seem to be doing well and be enjoying what he is doing; however, he has missed his way and is heading to the wrong direction. Lot was miles away from God’s destiny for his life, and there settled and rested among the thorns and thistles of godlessness, wickedness, immorality, idolatry, perversion, abuse and every manner of evil. But his rest could not last for long, for the fire of God’s judgment soon consumed the land and all that he possessed. He ended up in a cave as his last place of abode. There his daughters turned him into a dummy (Gen 19:30-35). What a tragedy for a man who tasted of the covenant inheritance but chose the land of Sodom.

Satan took our Lord Jesus to an exceedingly high mountain, showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, and demanded from him, “Bow and I will give them all to you.” But Jesus said, “I will not bow. I can only bow to the Almighty.”

God is looking for His children, who will not bow to Satan’s allurements, but who will stand firm in faith in this adulterous world. They will wear His crown of life (James 1:12).

 

Written by – Evangelist Oguazi Onyemobi