When God revealed His plan to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, He first told Abraham, then Lot.
Judgment was coming, but so was rescue. In that moment, Abraham and Lot responded to God’s
plan in opposite ways:
-Abraham asked God to “widen” the plan—“Will You spare the city for the sake of the
righteous?”
– Lot asked God to “shrink” the plan—“Can I go to a smaller, safer place instead of the
mountain?”
God’s plan was to bring Lot to the mountaintop. Lot wanted to stay near the valley.
“Flee for your lives! Don’t look back… Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away!”
But Lot replied, “No, my lords, please!… I can’t flee to the mountains… Look, here is a town
near enough to run to, and it is small. Let me flee to it—it is very small, isn’t it? Then my life
will be spared.” (Genesis 19:17–20)
Lot chose Zoar—a “small” place—because it felt manageable and familiar. He trusted what he
understood (valleys and plains) more than what God promised (the safety of the mountain). Fear
of the unknown kept him from fully embracing God’s higher plan.
We often do the same. We build our own “Zoars”:
Comfortable careers or ministry assignments that don’t require faith – Relationships that keep us spiritually lukewarm – Goals that fit our résumé but not God’s calling
Zoar feels safe, but it shrinks our view of God and our sense of purpose. It keeps us living small
when God is calling us higher.
The angels allowed Lot to go to Zoar, but it didn’t work. He discovered new dangers and
eventually had to leave for the mountains anyway. Zoar was never meant to be his destination—
only a warning.
This week, ask yourself: Where am I settling for Zoar? Where is God inviting me to the
mountaintop?
Don’t condemn yourself—just move. Flee from the small places you’ve created. Release your
need to control every outcome. Trust that God’s mountain, though unfamiliar, is safer and far
more fulfilling than any Zoar you could design.
Don’t let Zoar define you or destroy you. Step toward the heights God has prepared for you.
God bless you.
Pastor Janice Fareed-Hardy