December 8, 2021 - Genesis‬ ‭19:17, 26

“When they were safely out of the city, one of the angels ordered, “Run for your lives! And don’t look back or stop anywhere in the valley! Escape to the mountains, or you will be swept away!” But Lot’s wife looked back as she was following behind him, and she turned into a pillar of salt.” Genesis 19:17, 26 NLT

Lord, we thank you for your saving grace. You were gracious to allow Lot and anyone he wanted to take with him to leave the city before you destroyed it. Thank you for looking out for us so well. You don’t just see the overall picture, in this case the overall wickedness of Sodom and Gomorrah, but you see each person and know their stories. You care for each one, but you are also a God of justice. Wickedness will be punished and destroyed. You have such an awesome way to balance mercy and justice. We thank you for that ability and what that means for our lives.

Lord, when you remove us from a bad situation, help us to trust you. Sometimes we can be so used to the situations we are in that we don’t see them as bad or, for different reasons, we don’t want to leave the situation. Lord, we know that you always know what is best for us. Help us to trust your timing. When you are having us stay in these situations, help us to navigate them in a way that brings you glory and give us the grace to endure. When you say it is time to leave, help us to follow your instructions.

In this case, Lot and his family were told to run and not look back. We want to walk in obedience to all that you ask even if it is hard. It was obviously hard for Lot’s wife. She looked back and was turned to salt. I would guess she was thinking about her home, friends, other family, etc. that she was leaving behind. But, Lord, you told her to run and not look back. When you move us on from different places in our lives (whether good or bad), help us not to look back on those places with longing. Not that we need to forget our memories of those places or can’t learn from our experiences in those places, we just don’t want to look back reminiscing on situations that you have removed us from. We want to be grateful for all you deliver us from and trust you with our futures.

Lord, help us not to be like the Israelites when you delivered them from slavery in Egypt. They looked back complaining and wanting to go back to Egypt because they were unsure about where you were leading them. They had become too comfortable in slavery and didn’t trust you with their future. Lord, help us to never become settled in less than what you have for us. Help us always be ready to move into the promised land with you. Even if we have no idea of what our promised land is and don’t know where you are taking us, we will trust you. For you are trustworthy. We will refuse to look back on what you have taken us out of but will look ahead, keeping our eyes set on you and all the promises you are moving us into.

In Jesus name, amen.