Remember Lot... And Take Heed

I have recently contemplated upon the sovreignty of God even among his own people, His own creations. Consider with me Abraham and Lot. The first is lauded by the 3 major theistic religions of the world. Abraham is even today one whom many christians look up to as one to be emulated and an example of how a christian should be towards God. And how could it not be so? He was just one of many in the land of Ur; but God had mercy on him and gave him many blessings and made him a righteous man. But Lot? Why is he forgotten? Why do not men laud him also? Why does scripture itself mostly ignore him? He also was chosen by God and blessed. The difference between the two is the degree of grace that God gave. Both it seems were revived by God spiritually speaking. Of Abraham I will not seek to prove again. But consider with me Lot. That he was, in today's terms, "born again."

First consider how he treated the angels that came to the city of Sodom. He greeted them and urged them (knowing the evils that befall strangers in the city) to stay with him. When men grow excessively depraved their hospitality suffers likewise. But he did not lack anything in his generousity towards the two strangers. He made a feast for them and attempted to protect them from the homosexual gang that attacked his house.

Secondly, consider that when the angels told him of the impending disaster planned against the city by the Lord, he believed them. It was perhaps close to 20 years that he had lived in Sodom, yet after all this time he still recognized that there was great wickedness present and that it was right of God to judge this evil. Not only did he believe for himself, he believed this so strongly, that he warned his sons-in-law to flee also.

Thirdly, consider what the inhabitants of Sodom said of him; "this one came in to stay here and he keeps acting as a judge." When the people came to his house, he was brave enough to declare to them their sin and urge them to depart from it. It is evident from their reaction that he had done this sort of thing before.

Fourth, when Abraham was talking to God he asked that the Lord would not destroy the city if he found as few as 10 righteous men in it. The Lord did indeed destroy the city, but he halted and had mercy on Lot and caused him to be removed. Their seems to be some indication here that Lot was a righteous man, one of those whom Abraham was speaking.

And finally, consider that in the new testament, Lot is called a "righteous soul." Given all this, why does memory of him fade into oblivion? If is because the grace given to him was not as great as that given to Abraham. God freely chose to give many great things to Abraham and not to Lot. It would seem even that to Abraham was given a greater ability to overcome unbelief, fear, and sin. He lived the rest of of days in victory, seeing the Isaac the promised son come. But Lot lived in the rest of his life hiding in a mountain and eventually fathering two nations that would be enemies of Isreal for hundreds of years to come.

These scripture contain an exhortation and a warning. First know that God gives different gifts to different of His people, gifts that are not necessarily equal. And second, let all be warned. It is possible for a believer to largely waste his/her life and live in defeat to a degree.