Lot's Escape

Read Genesis 19:23-29

1 John 2:15–17 (ESV)
¹⁵ Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶ For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. ¹⁷ And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

Lot is such a great picture of how messy the lives of many Christians can be, few are like Abraham unwavering concerning the promises, many of us like Lot stuck between our love for God and love for the world.

The whole valley, though fertile, was so wicked and corrupt God would destroy it all, yet despite this warning. Lot lingers until he is dragged out by the angels. God in his mercy forcefully drags him and his family out so they don’t perish. So does he run out of the valley desperate to flee from the wrath of God and grateful to be spared? No, he asks God to let him flee to Zoar, a little town. Zoar literally means little.

Despite the corruption and wickedness of the valley, the torment it causes his soul. He is saying God don’t make me leave it entirely, surely just a little bit of the valley isn’t so bad. Surely just a little love for the world is okay.

So often we are like Lot’s wife, fleeing from the certain destruction that sin and worldly living deserve, but we look back just to admire and reminisce on how it wasn’t that bad. Living in the world is easier than being a Christian, it may be depressing and empty at times but atleast you get to live your way, and often when we are frustrated in the Christian life we can long to return to that life.

Every time we turn back and continue to sin, is another time we admit that we still love the world more than we love God. But yet if we continue to look back longingly on the things of the world, saying oh they aren’t that bad. Some sins can’t be that serious, some are even enjoyable. We may find ourselves being punished just as Lot’s wife was.

The Christian has only one response to the things of this world, particularly its desires, which tell us, “enjoy life now, your not gonna get another chance, be happy by doing what you want.” That response is hatred. We want nothing to do with love of this world. Everything here will decay and be destroyed just as Sodom and Gomorrah were.

My friends, flee from the wrath to come, don’t look back. Love Jesus with all your heart and you will have no space left to love the things of this world.

Questions:

Where do you find it most easy to love the things of the world?

What bible truths help us see through the emptiness of worldly things?