Lot's approach is an illustration of just judging by appearances and relying on our own wisdom. He looked around and the area of the Jordan looked good. This decision was to get him in all sorts of trouble. We should live our lives in constant communion with God and seek His guidance on all things. This does not mean we never make any decisions ourselves, but that we commit everything to Him (Proverbs 16:3). For we need to recognise the limits of human wisdom. Until a couple of years ago many schemes would have looked like financial winners, but now the world is in financial turmoil. We do not know what will happen tomorrow.
Lot's choice also indicates that we should look at the moral character as well as "hard financial facts". For the people of Sodom and Gomorrah inhabited the land and were wicked. They may well have been prosperous at the time, but the Lord's judgement was about to hit them. It is important to be righteous on the decisions we make, not just astute in worldly terms.
Abraham had entrusted himself to the Lord, and now receives his reward. The Lord appeared to him and told him to look all around. God promised that all the land would be given to his offspring. So this included the land Lot had taken. It is far better to entrust ourselves to God's goodness than to rely on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5). Note that Abraham did not know God was going to do say this when he gave Lot first choice. We need to know the character and heart of God, as well as relying on particular promises.
God also expanded His promise to Abraham. His descendants would be more numerous than the grains of sand in the desert. God then instructed Abraham to walk through the land. This was before God gave him the land. We need to imagine and ponder upon the things that God has promised to do before He does them. We need to visualise the promise. You see we are not to live just according to the way things are, but also to live according to the way things will be. Conversely, we are not to become totally unreal and start living in fantasy! There is an enormous difference between living in faith and living in fantasy. Someone who is living in faith will be fully aware of the current realities, but equally aware of God's promises. Faith sees beyond the immediate situation.
Having had a significant encounter with God (okay, I know its difficult t imagine an insignificant encounter with the Lord!) Abraham marked the event by making an altar. This was to become a guidepost in his life.
Lot's choice also indicates that we should look at the moral character as well as "hard financial facts". For the people of Sodom and Gomorrah inhabited the land and were wicked. They may well have been prosperous at the time, but the Lord's judgement was about to hit them. It is important to be righteous on the decisions we make, not just astute in worldly terms.
Abraham had entrusted himself to the Lord, and now receives his reward. The Lord appeared to him and told him to look all around. God promised that all the land would be given to his offspring. So this included the land Lot had taken. It is far better to entrust ourselves to God's goodness than to rely on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5). Note that Abraham did not know God was going to do say this when he gave Lot first choice. We need to know the character and heart of God, as well as relying on particular promises.
God also expanded His promise to Abraham. His descendants would be more numerous than the grains of sand in the desert. God then instructed Abraham to walk through the land. This was before God gave him the land. We need to imagine and ponder upon the things that God has promised to do before He does them. We need to visualise the promise. You see we are not to live just according to the way things are, but also to live according to the way things will be. Conversely, we are not to become totally unreal and start living in fantasy! There is an enormous difference between living in faith and living in fantasy. Someone who is living in faith will be fully aware of the current realities, but equally aware of God's promises. Faith sees beyond the immediate situation.
Having had a significant encounter with God (okay, I know its difficult t imagine an insignificant encounter with the Lord!) Abraham marked the event by making an altar. This was to become a guidepost in his life.
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