Don't Do As I Do?

The Lord appeared to Abraham (Genesis 18-19) to assure him that he would indeed receive a son. He and Sarah, in their old age, would give birth to Isaac, the son which was a result of God's promise.

As God is assuring Abraham of this blessing, He is compelled by His goodness to not withhold from Abraham the judgment that was scheduled for Sodom, the home of his beloved nephew Lot.

Because of Abraham's righteousness & destiny God revealed His plans to him, which were hidden from all others. Abraham was able to save Lot, but an interesting thing happened in Sodom's destruction.

Gen 19:26 describes how Lot's wife looked upon the destruction of her beloved Sodom with longing in her heart and in God's righteous judgment she became what Christ reveals in Matthew 5 we are all to be, "the salt of the earth". Well, this is especially interesting because the very next verse records Abraham looking upon the smoldering Sodom as well, but no judgment befell him.

Though both Lot's wife and Abraham beheld the same sight there are primarily two distinct reasons why their outcome was so drastically different:

#1 The Lord commanded Lot's family to NOT look back. They disobeyed!

#2 The motivating factors in their gaze. Abraham undoubtedly gazed with compassion while Lot's wife was longing for the wicked life being taken away from her.

The moral --- Don't always do as others do.

Paul encourages each of us in Philippians 2:12 to "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling". It's important to realize one's own limitations/weaknesses/temptations.

Are you presently equipped for the ministry you desire? Remember it is our great intercessor, Jesus, who told us to include in our model of prayer, "and lead me not into temptation".