Day 18 – Genesis 19-21

Talking Points

• Sodom is consumed in sexual lust and perversion. It overtakes the entire culture, “both young and old” (19:4). God promises a sure judgment of the city and warns Lot to flee. Even with the warning, “he hesitated.” Fleeing the city, Lot’s wife looks back and suffers God’s anger.
• In a strange event, Abraham, fearing for his safety, tells Abimelech that Sarah is his sister. God is fair in dealing with the king, because he did not know. Two things stand out. First, God is fair in his judgment of sin, judging our hearts. He knows when we are deliberately disobeying Him and when we are sinning in ignorance. Second, we see Abraham, the man of great faith, is still just that — a man. Like all people, he fails greatly! At times, he stands in great victory, other times in sorrowful defeat. How he must have cherished a righteousness established not in works, but in God’s grace.
• Great is God’s wrath toward sin. At the same time, great is His compassion and mercy. Already, over and over, we see His patience.

Thoughts

You’d think we’d learn — sin hurts. Sin leads to pain, chaos, and destruction. If you touch a hot cookie sheet, it burns. We learn to leave it alone. If we sin, we will face great consequences. You’d think we would learn — leave it alone!

What is it about sin that is so alluring? Why do we have such a hard time leaving it behind? Aren’t we very much like Lot’s wife, who cannot help herself and turns back for one last look? I think about that and honestly can’t come up with a good answer. The question is: how does that change? That, for sure, is not a place I want to stay. I do want to learn. I’ve been burned enough! Haven’t you?

My answer is this: grow in your knowledge of God. It sounds pretty simplistic and maybe like a stock religious response, but it’s true. Grow in your knowledge of God. As we grow in our knowledge of God, of His character and nature, we really do begin to love what He loves and hate what He hates. As we are filled with this knowledge, it shapes our hearts and minds, changing us from the inside out. It is a process. It takes time and work. Yet, the result is sure. Jesus before us looks so much greater than the sin behind us!

“Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I might not sin against You.”
– Psalm 119:11