This Sunday two teams will play for a football
championship in the Super Bowl. Interestingly, the victor will have
experienced some losses throughout the season. This is somewhat like the
Christian life and spiritual warfare. We sometimes lose battles, but in
the end Jesus wins the war! Sometimes our spiritual losses come as a
result of making a poor choice.
Lot is confirmed in the Scriptures as a
righteous man, but his choice in Genesis 13 proved costly. He chose to
live near the very sinful inhabitants of Sodom because the area was beneficial
agriculturally. He experienced such success in the region that he ended
up sitting at the gate of Sodom. This typically meant he had become a
leader in the community. Sadly, though he apparently gained wealth and
fame, Lot spiritually spiraled downward. He was tormented by the
sinful behavior all around him but was reluctant to leave even when warned of
God's angels to do so. He had a very sad reaction under pressure in
regard to his daughters, seemed to have no effective testimony
with his future son-in-laws, and ended up fathering two sons in a
most heartbreaking way.
Yet, he is a righteous man. Incredibly,
Lot proves that his righteousness was God's doing, not his own.
Also, God had mercy upon him to deliver him from Sodom's judgment despite
his spiritual struggles. Sometime we too can make very wrong choices and
suffer severe spiritual defeats even as believers. How thankful we
can be that despite our struggles and failures the righteousness and relentless
love of God carry us to ultimate victory through Christ Jesus!
See you Sunday!
- Who was
Lot's uncle? Genesis 12:4,5. Does being the relative of a
person committed to God guarantee spiritual success?
- Study Genesis
13:10-13. What might concern you about Lot's choice?
- Study
Genesis 13:14-18. Though Abram seems to have gotten the lesser
benefit from Lot's choice, how do things turn out for him? Are there
any lessons for us in this?
- To Lot's
credit -who does he welcome and attempt to protect? Genesis 19:1-8
- Look at all
the sadness surrounding the daughters of Lot. Genesis 19:8,14,30-36
- How does
the Bible give us encouragement about the grace of God to Lot despite his
spiritual defeats? Deuteronomy 2:9; Ruth 2:21; 4:13,21,22; Matthew
1:1, 5; 2 Peter 2:9
- Read this
verse about making a right choice. Joshua 24:15
