Where Are We Pitching Our Tents?

Where Are We Pitching Our Tents?

“Abram lived in the land of Canaan, while Lot lived ... near Sodom.”
Genesis 13:12 NIV

Lot made a dreadful choice, no doubt based on “the lust of the eyes” (1 Jn. 2:16). “Lot looked up and saw that the whole plain was well watered, like the garden of the Lord” (Gen. 13:10). God had directed Abram and Lot to Canaan, the land of great blessing, where communion with Him would be established. But given the first opportunity to choose, Lot fixed his eyes on the attractions of the world “and pitched his tents near Sodom.”

And where did Abram pitch his tent? The verse above and the the whole life of Abram tell us that “Abram lived in the land of Canaan.” His tent was pitched in the land of “blessing” (Gen. 12:2-3), while Lot’s tent was close to Sodom, where the men were “wicked and were sinning greatly against the Lord” (Gen. 13:13).

Even though Sodom may have looked “like the garden of the Lord” from a distance, it was anything but the Lord’s garden, and it was definitely not where God wanted Lot to live. The outcome of his moving there was a pathetic life, full of distress and torment: “Lot ... was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men ... tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard” (2 Pet. 2:7-8).

On the other hand, Abram’s eyes were always on “the city ... whose architect and builder is God” (Heb. 11:10), and consequently his life was full of great blessing and fellowship with the Lord (Gen. 18).

In what direction are we pitching our tents? The direction defines our goal, sets our course, determines our life. Let’s make sure that our tents are situated where we can enjoy the Lord.

By Larry Ondrejack