Scripture Meditation

As morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be swept away in the punishment of the city.” But he lingered. So the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the Lord being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city.

Genesis 19:15-16

Today’s Thought

God told Abraham that he was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. The problem was that his nephew, Lot, was living in Sodom, so Abraham interceded on behalf of the city. When the two angels entered the city, they found Lot sitting at the city gates. What this means is that Lot had become an elder of the city, a man of prominence.

When things get dicey, the angels tell him to gather his family and leave before the city is destroyed. But he lingered. Even though he was in mortal danger, Lot’s attachment to his worldly success and influence caused him to hesitate to the point where he had to be dragged out of the city by the angels.

Sometimes we linger in our sinful tendencies, even though it’s obvious that they aren’t beneficial to us. In times like that, it’s important to have others who can pull us out and help us realize our error.

Prayer

Lord, show me where I still linger in this world and help me sever my attachments to it.