The blog below is inspired by this episode of “What’s God Doing?”
Have you ever seen something and thought, “wow, that is exactly what I need,” and then after you have it, you realize that was a very bad idea?
I have been reading in Genesis about Abram lately, and just finished the story of Lot and Abraham’s men fighting over possessions. To settle it, Abram told Lot that he could pick whatever land he wanted, and Abram would move in the other direction:
Gen.13
10 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. 11 Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east. And they separated from each other. 12 Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent even as far as Sodom. 13 But the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the Lord.
Do you see what I am seeing? It sounds very similar to Eve in the garden.
Gen.3
6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate.
I was interesting to see what it said about Abraham.
Gen.13
14 And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: “Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are—northward, southward, eastward, and westward; 15 for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever. 16 And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered. 17 Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you.” 18 Then Abram moved his tent, and went and dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and built an altar there to the Lord.
So, it would seem that we need to see things with God’s perspective in all circumstances. Even small decisions sometimes have bigger consequences than we realize if we walk in selfishness and not focusing on God. Lot looked to immediate game, and it led him to Sodom and a rough experience soon after. Because Abraham looked through God’s perspective, he was able to see all that God had for him, instead of merely the one spot by the Jorden that was lush and green.
Sometimes I think we cheat ourselves out of a blessing because our vison is to narrow, and we don’t think big dreams can become reality; God’s dreams are bigger than we can imagine. Abram trusted that God could do the impossible, and stepped into the land God had for him. Meanwhile, Lot had many troubles in the land he chose; yet for some reason he stayed and even moved into Sodom.
Today, you can give seeing through God’s perspective a try. Ask God. Dream with Him and see what He will do when you let Him have all authority in your life.
Don’t forget to watch the video and leave your thoughts in the comments below.
