Pillar of Salt

I was just reading an article and mention was made of Lot and his family as they were leaving Sodom. I recalled the part of the story in which his wife looked back and was destroyed. Here, God was saving this family – this one small family of people living a righteous life amid the most detestable evil  – and another one bites the dust. 

He was choosing to save her. She had a get out of jail free card. She must have been considered somewhat righteous in order to be allowed to escape the judgment, and yet, by simply looking back over her shoulder, she reaps judgment with the others. Did this one act make her lose her chance? Apparently!

There are a couple of reasons why this might have happened. 

1. God said to not even look back, so therefore she was immediately in sin when she glanced back.
2. By glancing back, she was double-minded. She was obediently leaving the city in body, but her heart was remaining there, where her home, material possessions and possibly friends were. 

We know that sin has its consequences, particularly before Jesus’ blood covered us, but this double-mindedness is a very dangerous thing indeed. The Bible warns of it several times. Yet, we are most likely all quite guilty of this.

We hear what God wants us to do and rather than obeying immediately, we consider our options. We read a Biblical command and rather than jumping to do it, or avoid it whichever the case may be, we plot it out, consider it, but don’t obey fully. 

When I first was convicted about celebrating the feasts of the Lord, I wanted to obey immediately. However, I didn’t want to give up my other holidays, such as Christmas. I knew there was sufficient evidence in the Bible to warrant me giving up all my Christmas and Easter thingamajigs, but I was sort of sad about doing it. I didn’t know how to address it all with the kids. Fortunately, at least in this matter, I obeyed fully, although I admit I have found still more Christmas stuff that I need to get rid of in boxes from our recent move. Yet, I am certain if I thought long and hard enough about it, I would most definitely be able to list hundreds of areas I have not obeyed fully and/or immediately. 

So that would put me in her shoes, going forward in body with the Lord, and glancing back over my shoulder at my former life, and in some way missing it. Do I long for my material things, family, friends, my old ways, my old selfishness, my old controlling ways… more than I long to follow Jesus? I am sure in some ways I do. There are times, I long for chocolate more than I long for Jesus. How pathetic! While this might sound silly to some, it’s sin! I just might end up a pillar of salt too.