CONCERT OF PRAYER

Pray Week 933

“Lot Lingered”

But he lingered…(Genesis 19:16)

I marvel at how alive the Word of God is. Each time I read through the Bible God’s Word speaks to me in a fresh and timely manner. As I began a new reading plan this three word phrase in Genesis challenged me to dig deeper.

Lot knew God was going to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah yet he hesitated to leave. The angels of the Lord had to forcibly lead Lot and his family out of the city. …So the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the Lord being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city. (Genesis 19:16)

Why in the world would he hesitate and linger? The answer to Lot’s behavior begins with some compromising bad choices he made years earlier.

Lot made a good business decision albeit a poor spiritual one. From a worldly perspective Lot made a wise choice when Abraham allowed Lot to take first pick of the territory he would occupy.

Then Abram said to Lot…Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right, or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left.” And Lot lifted up his eyes and saw that the Jordan Valley was well watered everywhere… (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) So Lot chose for himself all the Jordan Valley, and Lot…settled among the cities of the valley and moved his tent as far as Sodom. Now the men of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the Lord. (Genesis 13:8-13)

Lot acted selfishly and recklessly by choosing where to live solely from a materialistic perspective. He sought to prosper himself materially while risking his family’s spiritual well-being by immersing them into a wicked, sinful environment. He gave no thought to Abraham’s well-being in choosing first and thought only of what would prosper him.

Over time, Lot’s life of compromise further integrated him into a corrupt environment. What started out as pitching his tent near Sodom ends up having a house in the city. …Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” (1 Corinthians 5:6; 15:33)

So we see Lot hesitate to leave it all behind. Furthermore, his wife disobeys God and looks back as they are leaving, to her demise. The challenge of God’s Word to us is clear. Are we living a life of compromise with a wicked and corrupt generation or do we maintain an eternal perspective, being in the world but not of it? For many…walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, (Philippians 3:18-20)

May you hold on to the things of this world loosely, able to follow the Lord’s direction and call without hesitation, lingering or looking back. May all your life decisions be made prayerfully and selflessly without compromising your Christian values. Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. (Psalm 73:25)