Friday, February 13, 2009

Today's Passage: Genesis 19

A few months ago, Joy and Mallory were reading this story in Mallory's Bible. Joy used the phrase, "Lot's wife was disobedient, so God turned her into a pillar of salt." Later that day, they were at the grocery store and Mallory was not listening to directions. Joy said, "Mallory, you are being disobedient", not really thinking of their story that morning. Mallory got a very scared look on her face and said, "Momma, am I going to turn to salt?" At least for a few days, we had a very obedient daughter!

I'm struck by how matter-of-fact the Bible is on the fate of Lot's wife in verse 26: "But Lot's wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt." That's it...simple and direct. She disobeyed and there were consequences. It seems awfully harsh, doesn't it? We know she was told not to...very clearly in verse 17. "Flee for your lives! Don't look back! Run away as fast as you can!" She couldn't help but look back on the wicked city and the life she once knew...and away from the path to freedom and from God.

It's the second glance that always gets you. Sin presents itself, and sometimes it looks so good, so comforting, so welcoming...but you hear the voice of the Spirit saying "Flee for your life! Don't look back! Run away as fast as you can!" Maybe that voice is enough to get you to turn away and run...but when we look back a second time, it's so much easier to get caught in something destructive. So many times the second look led me to something that didn't honor God.

If we had the threat of turning into seasoning, maybe we wouldn't look a second time. I don't want to be someone that longs for sin or the life I once knew. I want to keep my eyes on the freedom of walking with God!