A World of Turmoil

"And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters that are here, lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city. But he lingered; and the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters, Jehovah being merciful unto him; and they brought him forth, and set him without the city." (Genesis 19:15-16 ASV)

Abraham in the preceeding chapter had bargained with Jehovah God. Jehovah had 'heard' the great cry of the city of Sodom and Gomorrah for its wickedness, and in response sent two angels down to check it out. The story here picks up as the angels have found it to be very wicked indeed. They have not been able to find even ten righteous souls in the entire city. The city is set for destruction, but first the angels must deliver Lot and his family out of the city. Destruction is hovering over the city, Lot is 'lolly gagging-dragging his feet' about leaving. At last the angels take him, his wife, his two daughters by their hands and bring them out of the city. They literally drag them out of the city, tell them to run for the hills, and 'do not look back'. 

"And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth (the angels brought forth Lot and family) abroad, that he (the angel) said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the Plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed." (Genesis 19:17 ASV)

There could have been several reasons Lot's wife looked back. For whatever reason, she looked back with longing when she had been distinctly warned 'do not look back', and she failed the test. 

"But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt."(Genesis 19:26 ASV)

Strangers and Pilgrims: we live in, yet are not part of this world.
Or have we grown comfortable here?

Far too many of my fellow Christian travelers have Lot syndrome, and many more have the 'Lot's wife' syndrome. How many times do I hear people telling stories about 'before' I was a christian I did thus and so. It's a remembrance of 'the good times' they had 'before'. The good times they gave up in order to suffer the walk of a christian. Instead of realizing what a blessing it is to give those things up and put them away; to walk in soberness and Godliness, they remember them with fondness. Like Lot's wife, they look back with longing.

"that ye no longer should live the rest of your time in flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. For the time past may suffice to have wrought the desire of the Gentiles, and to have walked in lasciviousness, lusts, winebibbings, revellings, carousings, and abominable idolatries: wherein they think strange that ye run not with them into the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:" 
(1 Peter 4:2-4 ASV)

For my part, I want to finish my task here in this world, and to finish well. However, there are days when I feel I've seen too much. My heart loves my family and friends, but it loves even greater, and longs even more to return to that city and home of eternal rest and joy.  

"These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things make it manifest that they are seeking after a country of their own. And if indeed they had been mindful of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God; for he hath prepared for them a city." (Hebrews 11:13-16 ASV)

"Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. Jehovah of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah." (Psalms 46:10-11 ASV)

Hallelujah! What a Savior!