Often when we are separated from our family, mentor, leader, or close friend our true character is defined.  Just like Abraham and Lot had to eventually separate, so all God’s children must learn to stand alone. When we break away and stand alone, we stand on our own convictions, standards, and promises.  When Lot and his family moved away, it became their defining moment.

This moment also further defined Abraham.  He did something very unselfish by giving Lot the best land, which had been promised to him. Abraham should have never been in this position of having to sacrifice God’s promise, but in character, Abraham offered Lot the best of the land. The only problem was Sodom and Gomorrah were part of the land.

There are three scriptures that summarize Lot’s life defining moment.

• 13:10 lifted up his eyes toward Sodom
• 13:12 pitched his tent toward Sodom
• 19:1 sitting in the gate (living there)

I can picture Lot and his family creeping closer and closer to Sodom.  At first they kept their distance.  The day came when they moved right into town!

It would be easy to say “well if Lot had never left Abraham he would not have gotten mixed up in Sodom”.  This was not necessarily true. For anyone to fall away physically they must fall away in their heart first.  Our hearts actually define us long before we are given our defining moment. Falling away from the things of God is more than an event that happens.  It is a condition of the heart before it becomes an event.

Gen. 13:10 says that Lot chose Sodom because it reminded him of the land of Egypt. 

Lot asked Abraham if it was a good place to raise cattle, but he should have asked if it was a good place to raise kids!  Unlike Abraham, Lot wasn’t concerned about the generations to follow. Lot was interested in “making money”, but not “growing spiritually”.  He chose badly because he only saw the world and flesh.

Somewhere in Lot’s journey he became worldly in his desires.  Sodom was a very worldly city full sexual promiscuity. He obviously knew of it’s reputation.  As a whole, it reminded him of what he had experienced in Egypt and he liked it.

Jesus pointedly wanted us to “remember Lot’s wife.”  She was worldly too. By looking back longingly at what God had saved her from, she revealed for all generations what was in her heart. Even if she didn’t practice a promiscuous lifestyle, she was very comfortable around it.  When it was all blown away by the hand of God, she longed for it because Sodom was still in her heart.

Up until this point, Lot had all the possessions just like his uncle Abraham.  But he had never built his own altar and discovered the relationship that comes from worshiping the Lord.  When it was all said and done, it was Abraham’s altar, worship, and intercession that kept Lot and his family alive. Even though Lot had hung around the altar of his uncle and had seen the benefits, he never followed hard after God himself.  The truth is no one can hang around someone else’s spiritual life and be fulfilled.  True fulfillment comes via “asking, seeking and knocking” yourself.

Sooner or later you have got to develop that personal, intimate, one on one, daily relationship with God. If you never learn to “feed yourself” you will eventually starve to death spiritually.  How healthy would you be if you only ate one or two meals a week and at those meals you ate only baby food someone else gave you?

Understand God always allows us to choose and then own our decisions.  God allowed Lot to choose and He will allow you to choose.  God allows us to choose our own path, but He doesn’t allow us to choose the destination. God will allow us to choose anything we want, except for the consequences.  We can’t choose those! As a matter of fact, we have to live with the consequences of our choices. Decisions may seem small at the time, but we never know where those roads will lead.  The big lie we tell ourselves in self-delusion is “oh, this will not harm me and will not matter. I will be ok.”

The day Lot chose Sodom, his life was changed forever along with his family. Ultimately Lot wrecked his family’s future. After barely escaping destruction, Lot and his two girls ended up living in a cave.  Sadly, he chose once again to get drunk with the help of his girls.  In this drunken state he committed incest with both of his daughters.  The result of those relations was his daughters gave birth to leaders of enemy nations (Ammonites/Moabites) which would plague Israel for years to come.  The power of a single decision!  I am sure Lot started out in life wanting to be a blessing to his uncle who helped him so many times after his father died. Instead, he became a curse to all God was doing in Abraham’s life.  When God gave Lot his defining moment he wasn’t able to stand alone.

I don’t want to end on a bummer. There are numerous examples of men and women of God who prospered and became blessings when God gave them their defining moment. Are you ready to have a defining moment?

 

Blessings,

Pastor