Genesis 13:11 Daily Devotional & Meaning – Lot’s Choice and the Danger of Living by Sight
- Benjamin Michael Mcgreevy
- 21 hours ago
- 5 min read
Daily Verses Everyday! Day 60
“Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.”
Lot stood before two paths. One led to the fertile plains of Jordan, glimmering with promise and prosperity. The other led into the unknown, the rougher hills and untamed lands that seemed less inviting to the natural eye. Without hesitation, Lot chose what looked best. The Scripture says simply, “Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan.” There is no record of him praying, no mention of him seeking counsel from God, and no pause to ask what the Lord desired. He looked, he saw, he chose, and in that single decision, the trajectory of his life changed forever.
This verse captures one of the most subtle and dangerous temptations of the human heart: to choose according to sight rather than faith. The plain of Jordan was lush and well-watered, but its beauty was deceptive. It drew Lot’s heart eastward toward Sodom, toward compromise, and eventually toward ruin. Sometimes, the blessings that look most inviting are the ones that pull us farthest from the presence of God.
Abram, on the other hand, stayed behind. He did not grasp for advantage or envy Lot’s choice. His trust was not in land but in the Lord who owned all land. Abram knew that wherever he went, God would go with him. Lot’s eyes were fixed on the ground before him; Abram’s eyes were fixed on heaven. One walked by sight, the other by faith. And that made all the difference.
It is striking that Scripture says Lot “journeyed east.” Throughout the Bible, movement toward the east often symbolizes movement away from God’s presence. Adam and Eve were driven east of Eden after their sin. Cain fled eastward after killing his brother. The people who built the tower of Babel migrated eastward. And now Lot journeys east—away from Abram, away from the altar of worship, away from the place where God had made His promise. The direction is not merely geographical; it is spiritual. Lot’s choice represents a heart turning away from dependence on God and toward the shimmering allure of worldly success.
How often do we do the same? In today’s society, we are taught to live busy lives—constantly moving, constantly deciding, constantly chasing the next opportunity. We measure success by how much we can do and how quickly we can do it. Yet in that hurried pace, we often make choices the same way Lot did quickly, based on what looks good, what seems practical, or what everyone else is doing. We make decisions by sight, not by faith. But God never asked us to live that way. He calls us to slow down, be still, and seek Him before we move.
When we pause to talk to God, we acknowledge that He sees farther than we ever could. Our vision is limited; His is eternal. He knows the heart behind every opportunity and the end of every path. Sometimes, the plain of Jordan will appear before us—the job that looks perfect, the relationship that feels right, the opportunity that seems too good to pass up. But if we do not first ask the Lord, we may find that what glitters in the moment leads to sorrow in the end.
That’s why Scripture says in Proverbs 3:5–6, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” God desires to be part of every choice we make. He doesn’t want to be our last resort after things go wrong but our first counsel before we even take a step. Talking to God before deciding is not a delay but protection.
When you have a choice to make, talk to God and ask Him what He wants you to do. He will answer, though not always with an audible voice. The way He speaks is most often through His Word. As you open Scripture, He reveals His will through principles, wisdom, and truth that align your heart with His. His Spirit uses His Word to nudge, confirm, and sometimes warn. If we will slow down long enough to listen, we will find that God has been speaking all along.
The world teaches us to act fast; faith teaches us to wait. Lot looked once and decided; Abram waited and received. One relied on what he could see; the other relied on who he knew God to be. In the rush of modern life, may we choose the slower, wiser way, the way that kneels first before the Word, prays before proceeding, and trusts that obedience will always lead to blessing, even if it takes longer to see.
Because, in the end, the safest path is never the one that looks easiest; it’s the one where God is leading. And this is why Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:33 are so powerful and so deeply connected to Lot’s story: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Lot sought the plain of Jordan—the material abundance, the visible prosperity, the comfort of what could be seen. Abram sought the kingdom—the unseen favor and faithfulness of God. One chased after the blessing, the other pursued the Blesser. And the difference between them was not in what they gained for a season but in what they kept for eternity.
When we seek first the kingdom of God, we are declaring that His will is better than our plans, His timing wiser than our urgency, and His provision richer than anything we could secure on our own. The promise Jesus gives is not that we will lack nothing because we strive harder, but that as we put Him first, everything else will fall into place as it should. When God is at the center, we no longer have to grasp for the plains of Jordan, He will lead us to the portion that is ours, and it will be far better than anything we could have chosen for ourselves.
So let us not rush ahead like Lot, chasing what glitters, but walk patiently like Abram, trusting the God who provides. For the one who seeks first, the kingdom will never be left empty-handed. What God adds to a surrendered life cannot be measured in possessions or status; but it is peace, purpose, and a place in His eternal kingdom where no choice made by sight can ever lead us astray again. Faith does not choose what looks best; it waits for what God blesses.
If you would like to explore Genesis in a sustained, verse-by-verse way with space to reflect, journal, and trace how these foundational truths unfold through Scripture the Verse by Verse book expands these reflections into a unified reading experience. The book gathers these meditations into a structured journey through Genesis, designed to help readers linger in the text and engage God’s Word more deeply over time.
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