So I read Genesis 19 this morning. The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Why was Lot so hesitant to leave?
Here's a short paraphrase: The angels told him to leave the city but he lingered. The angels took him and his family outside the city and told him to escape to the mountains. He said "The mountains are too far. How about Zoar?" They said OK and he took his family to Zoar. And after Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed he took his family to the mountains. Was Sodom that nice of a place for Lot that he was that hesitant to leave? Or is it just hard to leave what he knew, however bad a situation, and head off into the unknown?
Here's a short paraphrase: The angels told him to leave the city but he lingered. The angels took him and his family outside the city and told him to escape to the mountains. He said "The mountains are too far. How about Zoar?" They said OK and he took his family to Zoar. And after Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed he took his family to the mountains. Was Sodom that nice of a place for Lot that he was that hesitant to leave? Or is it just hard to leave what he knew, however bad a situation, and head off into the unknown?
I don't know whether you can consider Lot a man of God. He was a good enough man to take two strangers into his home to keep them safe when they entered Sodom. Then when a mob demand he turn out the two men so that they could "get to know them" he refused. He even offered up his daughters to the mob instead of the two men(that's a whole other issue I don't think I want to get into). Yet when given direct instruction that would save his life and the lives of his family he hesitated.
What is your reaction when God speaks in your life? How hesitant are you to leave what you know and move into what God is telling you to do? Is your faith so invested in God that as soon as he tells you to do something you move to action? Or do you hem and haw, waiting and praying, making sure that it's really God that you're listening to. Do you really need to verify that it is God speaking to you or are you hesitating because the course God has laid out for you is not where you want to go?
That's the key. It all depends upon whether you want to take the actions God has told you to take. Lot didn't want to leave Sodom. Yes it was a city of great sin. Yes it was going to be destroyed in a rain of fire. But it was what he knew. He didn't know the mountains. In the mountains he didn't know where he would live. He didn't know how he would provide for his family. It was unknown. And the unknown is frightening.
But that's why God directs us to the unknown. It takes faith. We show our love and trust in Him by leaving what we know and following His direction. Yes we can choose to not follow that guidance. We can choose to stay. But it's not like He will lead us into a trap. He's taking you to a place where you will grow closer to Him. Where your faith will increase. It may be a struggle, difficult. But with faith all things are possible.
Besides, I'm pretty sure life will be more of struggle by choosing to stay. Because by choosing to stay you're choosing to leave God's perfect will for your life.
But that's why God directs us to the unknown. It takes faith. We show our love and trust in Him by leaving what we know and following His direction. Yes we can choose to not follow that guidance. We can choose to stay. But it's not like He will lead us into a trap. He's taking you to a place where you will grow closer to Him. Where your faith will increase. It may be a struggle, difficult. But with faith all things are possible.
Besides, I'm pretty sure life will be more of struggle by choosing to stay. Because by choosing to stay you're choosing to leave God's perfect will for your life.
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