Satan’s great success is in asking people think they have plenty if time before they die to consider their eternal welfare.
John Owen
When I became a Christian part of my testimony was my perception of what will happen after death. I had a mentality to make the most out of our life since YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE. Sounds familiar? This is a common phrase by many young people during pre CoVid times.
God, through the Holy Spirit, taught me that there is more than a life on earth. Furthermore, Jesus came to the world, died on the cross and resurrected in order to give us an opportunity to be with the Father in heaven. Jesus is our ONLY mediator to God the Father.
(Please visit the Weekly Insight: Who Is Your Intercessor? To know more about Jesus as our intercessor to God.)
You Only Live Once
This is true to some if you think your life ends in this world. Nowadays, people are not concern about their eternal well-being. Life is beautiful despite the chaos and challenges we face. It is a gift from God that we have our very breath. But what do we repay Him with? We disregard the gift of life He gave us.
John Owen was right when he wrote that the devil spreads lies about what will happen when we die. For example, “there is nothing after death” or “I am going to heaven because I have been a good person.” He lies because the more people are oblivious of their eternal well-being, this means the devil can drag more souls to hell.
Bible Reading
Today’s devotional reading is from the book of Genesis 19:23-38. Please, read our recent devotional from Job 42:1-9: How To Start The Year Right
Who Is Your Character?
There are three characters in this story I wanted to highlight. First is Lot’s wife, second is his daughters and third is Lot himself. The difference with these people can help us with our reflections and assist us on how to move forward in this new year.
In this verse, Lot’s family were fleeing Sodom and Gomorrah. The angels of God instructed them to flee before God’s wrath rains upon the wicked city – Sodom and Gomorrah. Read Genesis 19 for the full story.
Lot’s wife – Lovers Of The World
Do you know that Lot’s wife became a pillar of salt? The reason why it happened is her disobedience. When they left Sodom and Gomorrah, the two angels of the Lord, specifically told them to leave and not to look back (Genesis 19:17). Lot’s wife disregarded it and she instantly paid the price of her disobedience.
The reasons why she looked back were not mentioned in the Bible. But putting a human perceptive on this, she might have done it because of her longing after her past life and the city where they lived so long.
We often get attached to our worldly possessions that we lose the perspective that we are just travellers in this world.
Lot’s daughters – Knew Only Worldly Ways
The next characters are the daughters of Lot. These two virgin daughters were offered by Lot to the mob of people wanting to get the two angels of the Lord. But God preserved them for the destruction that fell on the city.
The sisters were saved but they forgot God’s provision when they committed incest. They got used to the ways of life of the people in Sodom and Gomorrah, that they did not think twice about their actions of sleeping with their father. They relied on what they think can preserve their family line and not rely on God.
When we deeply rooted in worldly thinking, we will lose or even not acquire the real basis of what is morally right and wrong.
Lot – Followers of The Truth
Lot was the nephew of Abraham. He was accompanying his uncle until they have decided to part ways due to the shepherd’s conflicts. Lot was a good man, compared to the people in his city. He tried to protect the angels of the Lord by inviting them to his house. Moreover, he even offered his daughters to the people when they were asking for the two angels.
Lot also heed the instructions of the angels not to look back to the city. But his downfall was with his daughters. He was tricked and ended up having two sons with each of his daughters. And his offspring’s descendants became the enemies of the Israelites – Moabites and Ammonites.
Jesus did not teach based on His emotions or feelings. On the contrary, He preached rationally about what is True. Therefore, as followers of Christ, we must remember that we are not exempted from the temptations of the world. We will fall into the devil’s trap if we do not cling to God for help. Additionally, Christians should be sober-minded and watchful.
Furthermore, this is not a time for us to have a sleeping faith. As Peter said, we should be alert and vigilant at all times for our enemy is like a lion looking for someone to prey upon (1 Peter 5:8).
(Please visit the Weekly Insight: God Saves. To see another article about Sodom and Gomorrah.)
Reflection
This is the time for your journaling. Reflect on these questions. Ask the Holy Spirit to test your faith and your walk with Christ.
Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? — 2 Corinthians 13:5 KJV
- How attached are you to this world?
- Are you willing to give up everything to follow Christ?
- Where do you base your moral standards?
- Do you rely on the moral criteria set by humans or God’s criteria?
- Are you a Christ-follower?
- How are you equipping yourself against temptations?
- Do you want to follow Christ? Accept Jesus Now.
Prayer
Almighty Father, we adore and glorify your name. We thank you for the gift of life you have given us. Moreover, we give thanks for the saving grace we receive through Jesus Christ.
May the Holy Spirit guide us every day. We know that the devil will try and separate us from you. Lord, deliver us from any forms of evil. Let the Holy Spirit and your angels protect us from the devil and his demons.
All these we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
