Lot, He lost a lot
I have been thinking about Lot from the Old Testament quite a bit recently. He was wise to follow after Abraham in leaving the life style and maybe even beliefs of his family. He chose to follow after a man who God called out to be the Father of a great nation. Lot also, believed in God and followed after Him, even though he was not chosen to be used as Abraham was. Did this cause Lot to decide to turn back? Of course not. We can read in scripture that a decision Lot made "vexed his righteous soul" (2 Peter 2:6-8). He was saved, from my understanding of what Peter wrote... but what of his family?
There was strife that came between the men of Abraham and the men of Lot because of their great amount of wealth (Genesis 13:6-12). Lot made a choice that enticed his flesh. He saw a land that was rich and plentiful for his flocks and herds. He also saw cities that appealed to his desires. He made the choice to pitch his tent toward Sodom. This decision (maybe unbeknownst to him) would bring him great ruin.
We can move ahead in scripture and find God has decided to destroy these cities because of their great wickedness (Genesis 18:17-33). Abraham pleaded with God to save the cities if there were at least 10 saved people. I am sure he was thinking of Lot and his family and that they may have been a witness and testimony and must have lead some people to believe in God. However, that was not meant to be.
Continuing on this thought process we find the destruction of the two cities. God in his great mercy however, sends his angels to rescue Lot and his family from the coming destruction. This is where we see the influence of Lot on the city.
First we see he had been given a place of "judgement" (Genesis 19:1). Lot lived there long enough that the people knew who he was.
Secondly, his sons and daughters had married people from the city (Genesis 19:12-14).
Thirdly, he no longer lived in a tent pitched toward Sodom, but now lived within the walls (Genesis 19:2-3).
These in and of themselves do not show much indication of the state of Lot's heart or his families. However, we do see it when the angels demand that they leave in order to be saved from the destruction (Genesis 19:15-22). His sons, daughters, and son in-laws looked upon him as one that mocked. They did not believe him and probably thought him a fool (Genesis 19:14).
Because of his own fleshly enticements, the angels had to force him to leave the city with his two youngest daughters and wife. But his loss has not yet ended. As they are leaving they are told to not look back upon the destruction. Lot's wife, because of her own desires, looked back and was lost to him as she turned to a pillar of salt (Genesis 19:26).
You would think it must be over, but it was not. His youngest daughters, probably under the influence of the teachings from within Sodom and Gomorrah, made the decision to get Lot drunk and sleep with him in order to have children to continue his lineage (Genesis 19:31-38).
What a horrible story in history. This man lost his family because of a decision he made that appeased his fleshly desires. Dad? Mom? Grandparent? What decision in your life are you making that could lead to a similar situation? This world WILL come to an end. We WILL all spend eternity somewhere. What are you teaching your children? Are you living a life to please God or flesh? They see you every day and that weekend "Christian" that you play does not fool them. Are you making it easier for the world to entice the fleshly desires they are inherent of?
You are not perfect and will from time to time succumb to your fleshly desires (sins). They will make their own choices in life and stand before God on their own to answer for them. Do they see you working daily at allowing God to change you? Do you humble yourself before God in their sight? Do they see your belief and trust in God as "real"?
It's never too late. You can change. Cry out to God to have mercy on you and your family. Allow Him to work on you, because that is all you can honestly control. It has taken some hard knocks for me to see this. I thank God for loving me enough to allow some very tough situations in my life. He is in control and will work His will as I allow Him too. My wife and children get the same privilege as I, to allow God to work... if they will let Him. He has never given up on me or them and He never will.
Maybe you have lost a lot. Maybe you have "lost" family to the sins of this world. God is greater. Trust Him. You may never have the family that you desire, but if you truly have given your life to Christ, you will be okay with that. Why? Because this life that I live is no longer mine, It is His testimony that He is working/living through me (Galatians 2:20).
There was strife that came between the men of Abraham and the men of Lot because of their great amount of wealth (Genesis 13:6-12). Lot made a choice that enticed his flesh. He saw a land that was rich and plentiful for his flocks and herds. He also saw cities that appealed to his desires. He made the choice to pitch his tent toward Sodom. This decision (maybe unbeknownst to him) would bring him great ruin.
We can move ahead in scripture and find God has decided to destroy these cities because of their great wickedness (Genesis 18:17-33). Abraham pleaded with God to save the cities if there were at least 10 saved people. I am sure he was thinking of Lot and his family and that they may have been a witness and testimony and must have lead some people to believe in God. However, that was not meant to be.
Continuing on this thought process we find the destruction of the two cities. God in his great mercy however, sends his angels to rescue Lot and his family from the coming destruction. This is where we see the influence of Lot on the city.
First we see he had been given a place of "judgement" (Genesis 19:1). Lot lived there long enough that the people knew who he was.
Secondly, his sons and daughters had married people from the city (Genesis 19:12-14).
Thirdly, he no longer lived in a tent pitched toward Sodom, but now lived within the walls (Genesis 19:2-3).
These in and of themselves do not show much indication of the state of Lot's heart or his families. However, we do see it when the angels demand that they leave in order to be saved from the destruction (Genesis 19:15-22). His sons, daughters, and son in-laws looked upon him as one that mocked. They did not believe him and probably thought him a fool (Genesis 19:14).
Because of his own fleshly enticements, the angels had to force him to leave the city with his two youngest daughters and wife. But his loss has not yet ended. As they are leaving they are told to not look back upon the destruction. Lot's wife, because of her own desires, looked back and was lost to him as she turned to a pillar of salt (Genesis 19:26).
You would think it must be over, but it was not. His youngest daughters, probably under the influence of the teachings from within Sodom and Gomorrah, made the decision to get Lot drunk and sleep with him in order to have children to continue his lineage (Genesis 19:31-38).
What a horrible story in history. This man lost his family because of a decision he made that appeased his fleshly desires. Dad? Mom? Grandparent? What decision in your life are you making that could lead to a similar situation? This world WILL come to an end. We WILL all spend eternity somewhere. What are you teaching your children? Are you living a life to please God or flesh? They see you every day and that weekend "Christian" that you play does not fool them. Are you making it easier for the world to entice the fleshly desires they are inherent of?
You are not perfect and will from time to time succumb to your fleshly desires (sins). They will make their own choices in life and stand before God on their own to answer for them. Do they see you working daily at allowing God to change you? Do you humble yourself before God in their sight? Do they see your belief and trust in God as "real"?
It's never too late. You can change. Cry out to God to have mercy on you and your family. Allow Him to work on you, because that is all you can honestly control. It has taken some hard knocks for me to see this. I thank God for loving me enough to allow some very tough situations in my life. He is in control and will work His will as I allow Him too. My wife and children get the same privilege as I, to allow God to work... if they will let Him. He has never given up on me or them and He never will.
Maybe you have lost a lot. Maybe you have "lost" family to the sins of this world. God is greater. Trust Him. You may never have the family that you desire, but if you truly have given your life to Christ, you will be okay with that. Why? Because this life that I live is no longer mine, It is His testimony that He is working/living through me (Galatians 2:20).
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