(Genesis 13)

When Abram offered Lot a choice of land to settle in, Lot chose the Jordan Valley for it was well watered as Eden had been.  Abram trusted in the Lord for his provision, but it is clear here, that Lot evaluated things by the way of men.  But what he found in that valley would eat at his heart.  Peter tells us that Lot’s heart was tormented because he lived and worked around the wicked men of Sodom.  The grass looked greener in the valley, as the Garden of the Lord, scripture tells us, but there was one thing missing from that garden altogether:  the presence of the Lord.  God had left those men to their wickedness.

So often this is a testimony to the result of our own decision making.  We often make our choices based on human ideas and terms.  “What do I think that I would like,” we ask.  “Where would I like to serve in ministry?”  “How should I spend MY money.”  Yet, the money does not belong to us, the ministry does not belong to us, and our life does not belong to us.  Thus, the only opinion of what we should or should not be doing that matters is the opinion of our Lord and Savior.  I think that it was Spurgeon who said that there is no ideal place to serve God—except where he puts you.  How often do we truly seek God’s will first and our will second.  Let us learn from righteous Lot the torment of making decisions based on human reasoning.