The Life You Want

Hi there! 

How have you been? Welcome to a new week. God has been incredible, yeah!

As today's theme is presented, take out some time and probe your heart.

“…Remember Lot’s wife...” Luke 17:32

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, one thing we all agree on is that the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in our lives involves a daily war against the flesh. In perspective, it is a battle between the life we want and the life God wants. I have found these three words from our LORD as a graceful warning that every believer needs to be wary of.

First, let us build the context:

The context of this warning comes when Jesus is asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come. In the process of explaining, Jesus makes six points, the latter three give context for the lesson to be learned from Lot’s wife (Luke 17:20-31)

The kingdom is not coming as we anticipate.

The kingdom is already here (established by Jesus Himself in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies).

There will be many deceptions to lead many towards a false kingdom (because we are seeking signs)

It will be like the days of Noah; there was nothing special about the day of God’s visitation nor the days leading on to it. When it came, it came.

It will be like the days of Lot; nobody was necessarily anticipating nor waiting for God’s visitation.

In whichever situation it meets you, don’t turn back.

So, what about Lot’s wife?

This builds up on the analogy of the similarity between the coming kingdom of God and the days of Lot. Genesis 19:1-29 gives an account of God’s judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah – the city he lived and raised his family. The important thing to note in the narrative is that Lot and his family were saved from the destruction of the city. This could have been a happy ending, but Lot’s wife turned back. This is the only time she is mentioned actively in the narrative. Her turning back seemed to have significance. It was a turning back of her heart and desire. Back to what or where God saved her from. The battle between the life she wanted (the very one God just saved her from) and the life God wants (where He was leading her to) began and she succumbed to the former.

What does this mean to us?

Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. (Hebrews 3:12)

This chapter was describing another example of a group that missed out on God’s rest. Even though God saved Israel from Egypt with a mighty hand, leaving signs and wonders all along the path, the generation who witnessed this, did not enter God’s rest.

So also, many who profess their faith will not enter life eternal because they do not hold their original confidence firm to the end (Heb 3:14, Col 1:22-23). For those who want the best of both worlds, they can be sure that Lot’s wife stands as an example.

Today, many believers take consecration for granted. There is no significant difference between their way of life before and after conversion (Matt 3:8; I Pet 4:1-4). They want to court with the world while serving in the body of Christ. For those who do not forsake their old way, friends, dressing, language, and culture, Lot’s wife stands as an example. And Jesus’ counsel is “remember Lot’s wife”

Beware:

The very next verse says:

Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it (Luke 17:33)

And a few chapters earlier:

No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God (Luke 9:62)

So, remember that Lot’s wife perished, although she:

received a clear warning of danger

made some efforts to be saved

was almost saved (she seemed saved). Her actions only revealed the true state of her heart - the love of the world.

So what?

The verse in Hebrews 3 narrows down this tendency to the heart. A heart that turns back is an evil, unbelieving heart. It is the heart that cannot inherit the kingdom of God no matter the number of times it responds to an altar call. It is the heart that is not focused on Jesus but the pleasures of this life. But God can give us a new heart that loves Him and does all He commands (Deut 30:6; Ezekiel 36:26-27)

Hymn Suggestion: Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

Lyrics Excerpt:

Prone to wander, LORD I feel it

Prone to leave the God I love

Here's my heart, oh take and seal it

Seal it for Thy courts above.

 

God's blessings,

Dawn of Joy, for the Royal Rubies.