Lot's Wife: Dying to this World

“Nothing so hardens the heart of man as a barren familiarity with sacred things." JC Ryle

Lot’s wife was in this state. She was married to a man who was related to and walked closely with the Father of faith, Abraham. Due to her husband's desire for the world, she and Lot with their children moved themselves to the perverse city of Sodom. Yes, Lot's wife had heard the word of the Lord, she knew ABOUT who God was, saw her husband walk by faith with Abraham out of their home country, but she basically became too familiar and relaxed with God, conforming to what she saw others (her husband) do. She never stands out in Genesis 12-19 as a woman who believed and stood for the righteousness and will of God out of her own desire. Lot’s wife is only seen as a tag-along- so insignificant as not to be greatly mentioned until her death. No true conviction or encounter of God ever settled in her heart. She had become so familiar with God as to fix and mold Him to HER routine as if He was just something else that was in her life. No, Lot didn’t make the best of decisions for his household by leaving the spiritual authority of Abraham, especially not in going to the city of homosexual perversion. Yet, Lot understood God’s authority and power when the angels warned him to flee Sodom. He even warns his son-in-laws saying, “Hurry and get out of this place, because the Lord is about to destroy the city!” (Genesis 19:14). Yet, Lot’s wife did not know the power and wisdom of God for herself. Lot’s wife had access to God but had become so used to going to church, going to Bible Study, not committing adultery, not cussing, not getting drunk, not smoking, taking care of her daughters, being a “good” wife, living in the world- that she never really let herself come under the authority and wisdom of God. Her actions in Genesis 19:26 in looking back AFTER being told not to reveal her severe love of her previous lifestyle and the world/city she lived in, as well as her doubt of who God was and where he was taking them.

Lot’s wife lived in the world, lived of the world and she died loving the world.

Her life, seemingly insignificant and sometimes overlooked in the Old Testament, is so significant to Jesus in the New Testament that He says: “It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. On that day no one who is on the roof of his house, with his goods inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. REMEMBER LOT’S WIFE! Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.” Luke 17:30-33

When Jesus returns, will he find a “Lot’s wife” spirit/mentality upon you? Or even this- when God comes to guide you in a way that’s been completely different from the life you’ve created for yourself, will you be found looking at your life, family, career, opinions, what people think of you, things you “know”... doubting God and dying in your will in this world instead of His will?

Yes, you may have grown up in the church, sang on the praise team, danced, been the son or daughter of a pastor, made good grades in school, prayed the false “sinner’s prayer”, acquired a diploma or degree, been a deacon, been a youth helper or leader, never smoked, never drank, don’t cuss, like helping people, do “right”…

...but have you, in the mean time, become too familiar with the “church” life and this well-known God to trust His wisdom and authority when He says “MOVE”? Do you love your life in this world more than you love God to trust the unknown He’s taking you into? Honestly, you don't take Him that seriously; yes, He's God... but His holiness and sacredness has been minimized and made common by you. It is THIS which will cause God to grieve and say, “… depart from me, I never knew you.”

Or even, will He say to you:

"Depart from me, I never knew you because I was never able to get you to leave the world to really know who I am. You treated me like anyone else in your life, with just a little more respect when you needed Me to get you out of a jam. I've always been worth more than the things I blessed you with. But you took more care of your job, family, opinions, clothes, bank accounts, lifestyle then you ever did of Me. You never recognized your filth and the need for My grace as the true and living God... the One who gave you those things and will also take them from you. I loved you more than the world I made for you. You loved me less than the world you live in."

Lot’s wife was a human being who had an all too familiar relationship to the Holy God of Israel that maximized her love of her lifestyle and the city/world she lived in, eventually leading to a hardened heart against God's instructions, resulting in her eternal death.

Are you Lot's wife?