We now continue in our meditation of Lot’s family and marriage. Things can come into a father’s life that displace the Lord’s purpose for him in life. When this happens, it will affect his children’s lives and, consequently, the Lord’s intended purpose for his children’s lives. Such things may be our work, our pursuit of pleasure, or our desires for riches in this life. All this results in the Word of God being “choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and [bringing] no fruit to perfection” (Luke 8).
Dangerous Attractions
There seemed to be such an attraction to Sodom and Gomorrah that neither he nor his family wanted to leave it in the hour of God’s judgment. How sad to think our hearts can be so attached to that which God has appointed to judgment. Truly the wine of this world is “treacherous” (Hab. 2:55Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people: (Habakkuk 2:5) JND). May believers in our Lord Jesus Christ not be as those who “have erred through wine” (Isa. 285In that day shall the Lord of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people, (Isaiah 28:5)). I speak of the intoxicating influences of the world so contrary to our Father and God. May we “love not the world” (1 John 2:1515Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (1 John 2:15)). It will surely lead to our children misusing their lives for the purposes of the world, rather than Christ’s.
What Is God Interested in?
God’s interest in Lot’s day, as it is today, was in a “city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Heb. 11). Abraham shared those interests, but Lot didn’t. Lot accustomed himself to making decisions with his personal interests in view. This can’t be allowed in believers’ lives, for the welfare of others should have first consideration.
We see that after Lot’s grandfather died, his uncle Abraham took care of him. Yet when it came to deciding who should get the best pasture for their flocks, Lot chose the best for himself, leaving to his caring uncle what Lot did not want (Gen. 13). It is wonderful to instill in our children the desire to think “on the things of others” (Phil. 2:44Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. (Philippians 2:4)). It is a practical thing and requires much careful training, for it is contrary to the nature we are born with.
Looking at the Wrong Things
Lot “lifted up his eyes” and valued the “things which are seen” (2 Cor. 4). Soon, his life would be centered around Sodom, unlike his uncle Abraham, who by faith “looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” Few things will be more detrimental to our children’s embracing the “holy city, new Jerusalem,” than seeing their parents making their interests revolve around “the things which are seen.” Lot and his wife occupied themselves with the condemned cities of “Sodom and Gomorrah.” These were cities which are set forth “for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire” (Jude 77Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. (Jude 7)). This condition will mark the end days (Luke 177But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat? (Luke 17:7)). Oh! may we walk in holy separation from the interests of this world, with our purpose of life being Christ’s interests here that He may be glorified in us and in our families.
H. Short
(to be continued)