FRIDAY May 23rd
Genesis 19:26
‘But Lot’s wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.’
I was looking through the book of Genesis to see where I would next turn to with my theme, and as I read this verse I thought of the phrase ‘animal, vegetable, mineral’ and I thought of the many uses of salt and its usefulness. In the olden days salt was used to preserve meat—and I can see now in my memory the cuts of meat we had hanging at the farm in one of the outbuildings having been preserved in salt until such a time as when we needed it. I remember the day my parents had got themselves a freezer! It was a special day; we could now preserve a lot more home grown produce along with the meat in this big chest freezer which was kept out in the garage. It makes me realise how much we take things for granted today.
But it is one thing using salt because of its usefulness, especially on our meat and veg, and even more importantly on our chips! but imagine being turned into a pillar of salt! Who knows, maybe someone eventually sprinkled a little of Lot’s wife on their dinner!
The account in scripture to which this verse relates to is a solemn reminder firstly that God will not tolerate sinful immoral behaviour, he has established the boundaries and the guidelines for sexual activity and those who cross them unless they come to repentance will be punished. But secondly it clearly shows that when God has given specific instruction that obedience is the key.
But there is a third emphasis that we can apply to ourselves, and it is summed up in the words of a song ‘I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back’. See this was the instruction that God had given to Lot and his wife via the messenger angel, ‘Escape for your life. Do not look back or stop anywhere in the valley. Escape to the hills lest you be swept away’, (verse 17).
We too having been offered such a great redemption, cannot afford to look back, lest we fall again into the lifestyle we have been delivered from, we need to look to the hills, from whence comes our help and as we see in v20 Lot pleaded to be able to get to a city for his safety and we too are on our way to a city, the same city that God had prepared for those who are the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11:16 and for all who since then have come to believing faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. ‘For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come’, Hebrews 13:14.
Next week I am having a few days holiday so devotions will be back Monday June 2nd.