But he lingered

Gen. 19:16

The sins of Sodom was great. When the angels of the LORD went into Lot, the people of the city, both young and old came to Lot’s house and wanted to “know them” (Gen. 19:5). How wicked! Because of their sins, they told Lot, “We are about to destroy this place, because the outcry against these people has become great before the LORD, and the LORD has sent us to destroy it” (Gen. 19:13).

Because of the intervention and prayers of Abraham, Lot and his family were asked to leave the city before it was destroyed, “Get up, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or else you will be consumed in the punishment of the city” (Gen. 19:15).

But Lot lingered (Gen. 19:16).

He was thus dragged outside the city and was asked to run to the hills and “flee for your life” (Gen. 19:17). Lot then complained, “I cannot flee to the hills.”

Oh, how merciful and gracious the Lord is! He granted that favour too! Lot then escaped to Zoar, a nearby city saying that He “will not overthrow the city of which you have spoken” (Gen. 19:21).

As I read this chapter of Genesis, I was reminded of the sins of man; of the penalty we have to pay for our sins; of the mercies of the Lord; of how the Lord was is a great hurry to get us out of our situation; of our unhurriedness; of His saving grace; of the need to drag us out of our quagmire; of our disobedience in following God’s gentle guidance; and of or indolence to do God’s work.

We will not elaborate on them. We will just leave it at that so we may think on our own.

Dear reader, are you still lingering? Time is short. Get up and run. The world and all we know about it will come to an end some day, and that day is already dawning on us.