Looking Back

January 10

Genesis 19-20

Psalm 7:1-8

Proverbs 1:28-31

Matthew 8:1-17

Looking Back

“Then his wife, from behind him,  looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.” 

Genesis 19:26 LSB

When Abraham and Lot separated, Lot went to Sodom and settled down.  He lived in this evil town and had grown comfortable there.  He and his wife built a life there along with their two daughters who had met young men and were pledged to be married.  Lot was aware of the evil around him, but he was unwilling to remove himself from it.  When the two angels came to the city, Lot recognized them and invited them to his house to stay.  He knew what would happen to them if they stayed in the square overnight.  He was well acquainted with the ways of the townspeople and wanted to protect the angels.  Unfortunately, he did not have the same concern for the welfare of his daughters and when the people came to his door wanting him to send out the angels, Lot offered them his two innocent virgin daughters instead.  The angels pulled Lot inside and blinded the men so that they could not find the door.  They instructed Lot to get out of the city because they were going to destroy it.  Lot hesitated so the angels grabbed their hands and pulled them out of the city because God was merciful to them.  They told them to flee to the mountains and not look back or they would be swept away. 

            Verse 26 tells us that Lot’s wife looked back and turned to a pillar of salt.  Whether it was curiosity, unbelief, or a desire for what she had left behind, she chose to disobey the angel’s instructions and suffered the ultimate consequence for her actions.  Perhaps she thought that she was behind them so they would never know if she sneaked a peak to see what was happening.  Looking back is never a good idea.  Longing for what was or dreaming about what could have been never produces good results.  Living in the past prevents us from making the most of today and takes away the hope of tomorrow. As long as we have breath in our lungs, God has a purpose and meaning for our lives and we need to look ahead and move forward.   Just as He does not want us to long for yesterday, He also does not want us to live in the regret and guilt of the past.  He offers freedom and forgiveness if we confess and seek Him.  Wallowing in our past failures is not pleasing to Him and creates pain and heartache for us.  “Brothers, I do not consider myself as having laid hold of it yet, 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 LSB