Tag: Lot

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Don’t look back

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Fran on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Genesis 19.

Do you remember the “Lot of Livin'” dance scene from Bye, Bye, Birdie? (Probably not, but it’s a fun, feel good watch anyway.) And it’s a good reminder to keep looking forward rather than back.

Genesis 19 is a rough chapter. Sodom turns out to be even more immoral and violent than anyone thought. No one believes that destruction is imminent. Even Lot hesitates, and the angels have to drag him, his wife, and his two daughters out of the city as fire and brimstone obliterate the city and surrounding area.

And then “Lot’s wife…looked back, and she became a pillar of salt” (Genesis 19:26).

Later on, as Jesus speaks about the judgment to come, he says, “Remember Lot’s wife” (Luke 17:32). So apparently, there’s a lesson to be learned here.

But what is it?

I think Paul touches on this when he writes, “But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13,14).

Paul had a lot of past accomplishments. But those things didn’t define him. He had a lot of regrets, too. But they didn’t define him either. His focus is now on Christ, the future, the goal, the prize: eternal life!

If you only focus on what you used to be or do, the present is disappointing. You can get stuck in the ditch of poor choices and bad decisions from the past, too. The other option is to take Jesus up on his invitation to follow him and embrace the future.

Posted in Devotions, Through the Bible Devotions

This town ain’t big enough for the both of us.

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Chris Hardy on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Genesis 13.

The cookie was huge, six inches across. Mom told her son, “Break it in half and share it with your brother.” He very carefully bent the cookie in two, to share exactly 50%. Then he held out the two pieces to let his brother choose one, but he held the slightly larger half closer to himself, in hopes that one would be his.

When there’s conflict between their herdsmen, Abram tells his nephew Lot, “This town ain’t big enough for the two of us!”

In an unexpected act of generosity, Abram lets Lot choose which part of the land he wants. Lot chooses the well-watered area of the Jordan which looks like “the garden of the Lord” (Genesis 13:10). Sounds like paradise. Abram gets the plain vanilla-sounding “land of Canaan.”

But appearance isn’t everything. Lot gets to live in the lovely city of Sodom, where the residents are exceedingly wicked. It’s kind of like having a beautiful home in a wonderful community where you hate all your neighbors. Abram on the other hand gets an expanse of land that will be his and his innumerable descendants forever.

Who do you think got the better deal?

It takes some maturity to realize there’s not just one pie. We’re not relegated to a smaller piece of life just because someone else got more. The “pie” or God’s blessing is much bigger than anything we can ask or imagine. Our slice may not look like someone else’s, but it’s custom made for us by the one who truly knows the desires of our hearts.

Thank you for reading this “through the bible” devotion.