Every story in the Bible can teach us about God's heart and character, and help us apply His truth to our lives. The story of Sodom and Gomorrah is a perfect example.
First, it shows us God hates sin. It may seem some sins aren't as bad as others, but to God, sin is sin. Lying, stealing, pride and murder all fall in the same category. They are an abomination to the Lord. The people of Sodom and Gomorrah were filled with tremendous wickedness. The outcry of their grievous sins reached heaven and God sent His angels to destroy them. God will not tolerate sin.
Second, we see how God protects His people. Lot and his family weren't like the others - they were righteous. The angels literally took hold of their hands and led them from the city to protect them. God wants to save us too. He will go to great lengths to get our attention and pull us out of circumstances that are harmful.
Third, God cares about our future. The angels warned Lot, his wife and daughters to keep moving away from Sodom and not to look back. They would start new lives together in another place. Once they were far enough away from the city, the Lord rained down burning sulphur from heaven and destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. But Lot's wife looked back and became a pillar of salt.
For years, I wondered what the significance a pillar of salt had. One day, God gave me the answer. Lot's wife had a choice. Instead of following God's instructions, she couldn't resist glancing back at her old way of life...perhaps asking herself what she would be missing, and not thinking a little look could hurt anything. But when she looked back, she was stuck - literally. She could no longer move forward to live the life God had planned for her
Just like Lot's wife, our actions impact where we're headed. If we look back and try to hold onto things from our past, we get spiritually immobilized by taking our eyes off of Jesus. God wants us to love Him more than the things He's rescued us from. When we do, we can face His direction with no regrets, and trust Him for our future!
Blessings,
Pastor Susan
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