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Topic:The lost years
READ THE SCRIPTURE: GENESIS 19: 1-11
So the two angels came to Sodom at sunset; and Lot was sitting at the door of Sodom.
Genesis 19: 1a
The expression found at the beginning of this story, “sitting at the door” of the city, is an oriental expression that we must understand. This does not mean simply that Lot was spending the time of the day at the door. This is a technical phrase that means that he was the chief magistrate of the city of Sodom. His job was not only to officially welcome visitors to the city, but also to investigate the nature of any strange person who might arrive and also administer justice in relation to any fight. The closest equivalent today would be the office of mayor.
I want to be fair to Lot, because I think he was willing to do what was right. It is clear, based on the story of his life, that, although he wanted to get something out of Sodom, he also wanted to do his part to do things for Sodom. Possibly he thought to himself: “Well, it is possible that these people do well to them. I may win some of them from evil to faith. I can earn money more quickly here than anywhere else, that’s true, but it’s also possible that I need to clean up the city a bit. It is an evil place, and it is possible that you can improve your moral life. ” When Lot moved to Sodom, this is undoubtedly what he would be thinking. Before too much time passed, he became the mayor of the city, the most respected man and the leader of civic life.
I would have liked to be able to ask Lot a question: “Lot, you have had a great success in your life. You have managed to go from being nobody to become the mayor of the city. You came to her as an unknown stranger and you have gotten as much wealth as honor in the city of Sodom. My first question is this: How has your own inner life affected having decided to stay in Sodom? ”
Check the reader on the level of evil in the city. This is the reason why God visited the city with judgment. Verse 4 says that all the men of the city, both young and old, surrounded the house. All the people of Sodom participated in homosexuality. When reading this story, you can notice Lot’s reaction, which is a reaction of disgust and shame. Second Peter says that Lot felt “overwhelmed by the perverted conduct of the wicked, (for this righteous man, who dwelt among them, afflicted his righteous soul every day by seeing and hearing the wicked deeds of them)” (2: 7b-8). ).
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This is an image of dissatisfaction, confusion and frustration. Lot’s soul felt continually mortified. He had tried enough of higher things of communion with God, so he could never be satisfied with these sordid, horrible, obscene, and lustful things of Sodom. Where were the rest, peace and tranquility of the heart? They were up there in Abraham’s tent under the oak. But here in the city of Sodom was this man named Lot. What good is it to have luxuries and wealth, as well as material gains, if the heart is continually filled with a great longing that can not be satisfied or nourished? Lot’s answer to this question must be that his own life had been painfully frustrated and ruined because of life in the city of Sodom.
Lord, save me from lost years in which I sacrificed communion with you to achieve success according to the way of understanding this world.
Application to life
In our search for worldly success we can seriously harm the inner life of the soul. Do we need to reassess our goals and invest our lives in eternal values?
