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Pointers along the way #377

The choice that Lot made
- Jacob Ninan

There is a very practical lesson that we can take from Lot's example. He was Abraham's nephew who went along with Abraham, as God was leading Abraham to the Promised Land. As Abraham and Lot both increased in wealth, the place was not big enough for both to stay together. Abraham made a magnanimous offer to Lot that he could choose where he wanted to be, and then Abraham would go another way. Now Lot looked around and chose some fertile land in the Jordan valley. We read this story in Ge.13.

The reason why he chose that land was obviously the potential for rich harvests and great growth in wealth and comfort (v.10). However this choice also brought him close to Sodom which was notorious for its wickedness (v.13). Perhaps the prospect of prosperity shadowed in his mind the risks of immoral influence and decay. Maybe he convinced himself that he could handle the Sodom factor without difficulty (1Co.10:12). Did he imagine he was going to be the witness who was going to bring the Sodomites to the Lord? He might have thought that the money he made there would enable him to contribute much for needy people or God's work! Perhaps he thought he would stay there just long enough to make some money and then he would move out.

Unfortunately it didn't work out as he planned. He wasn't much of a witness there, and when it came down to it his prospective sons-in-law didn't take him seriously (Ge.19:14). He had to run away from the place finally and lost everything he had come for. He lost his wife, and his two daughters fell into immorality. The Bible calls Lot 'righteous' (2Pe.2:7). Perhaps he was saved himself, but lost out virtually on every other front (1Co.3:15).

We are in the same world as Lot was (Lk.17:28). And so God tells us to seek His kingdom and righteousness first as we think of the things we need for life on earth (Mt.6:25,33). Unless this is the underlying priority in all the choices we make, we will be walking on dangerous grounds all the time. It is in this context that Jesus tells us that we cannot serve two masters (v.24). Our heart is very deceitful (Je.17:9). It can give us all kinds of justification or excuse to seek other things first. God's promise is that if we have Him as the first priority in our life, He will provide us everything else that we need. Neglecting to seek Him while we are in pursuit of other things will never work for our good. Seeking Him along with seeking other things will also not work. He has to be first.

The pressures that work on us to make us to seek after money, comfort, pleasure, fame, glory, etc., are extremely strong. Coming from the schemes of Satan they are also subtle. It is unrealistic for us to expect a once for all victory based on one act of surrender or prayer. We need a process of constant inner cleansing, where our attitudes, ambitions, goals and priorities are continually under examination (2Co.7:1). Then we can humbly seek God for help to keep our focus on Him at all times.

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