The Bubbling Brook

At break of day, the angels pushed Lot to get going, “Hurry. Get your wife and two daughters out of here before it’s too late and you’re caught in the punishment of the city.” Lot was dragging his feet. The men grabbed Lot’s arm, and the arms of his wife and daughters—God was so merciful to them!—and dragged them to safety outside the city. When they had them outside, Lot was told, “Now run for your life! Don’t look back! Don’t stop anywhere on the plain—run for the hills or you’ll be swept away.” Genesis 19:15-17

But Lot’s wife looked back and turned into a pillar of salt. – Genesis 19:26

To begin this year, I have joined a few men at my church in a Bible study that spans the entire Bible in one year. Last week I was reading the story of Lot and how he, despite his righteousness, fell into sin because of his surroundings. The Lord saw this and realized that Lot needed help to escape Sodom and Gomorrah. He sent two angels to save Lot from a city that had been overcome by sexual impurity, pride, excess food and more. While Lot and his family ran away from a city that was being destroyed, his wife turned back, longing for the old life she had left behind. In doing so, she was turned into a pillar of salt.

There are a few things we can learn from this story. First, we learn how the Lord feels about our disobedience to his direction. Though Lot’s wife had been given freedom from sin and bondage, she could not turn her heart away from the lifestyle she had become so accustomed to. I think this resonates with the way a lot of us are living right now. We’d rather stay comfortable in the Hell we do know – unsatisfying jobs, toxic relationships, unhealthy environments – than receive the freedom and peace and joy that God is offering us. Because of this, that toxicity seeps into our bones and becomes our identity and it becomes harder and harder to break free of what Jesus has already saved us from.

Another thing we learn is that God will walk with us even when we disagree with His will. It says that the angels warned Lot of impending danger and still he dragged his feet. Rather than giving up on him after ignoring their first instruction, the angels grabbed Lot and his family and dragged them out of the city. Our Lord in Heaven is not a passive God. In fact, He is a God that is running after your heart 24/7, 365. And even if you ignore his first nudge, he will keep running and running and will drag you out of your misery and distress because he loves you so much.

With our Lord above we have the authority to call on the name of Jesus and declare healing. Healing in our minds from anxiety, healing in our body from ailments, and healing in our hearts that may have been broken so many times before that we no longer trust people. Don’t be like Lot’s wife. Don’t stay attached to a lifestyle that is causing Hell inside of you while Jesus is waiting with Heaven in front of you. Don’t look back. Look forward and receive life and life more abundantly in the loving arms of Jesus. There’s nothing you can do to make Him love you more – just receive what he has been trying to give you your entire life.

A few questions to ponder as you walk out this week:

• What doors has God closed that I am trying to reopen?
• Where have I dwelled in places that God never meant to keep me?
• Where have I tried to rewrite the script despite God’s Word being final?

I love y’all, if you’d like me to pray for you you can email: bubblingbrookinc@gmail.com

Have a blessed week ❤