Salt or Clay?

     
                  The two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. 
                                                                                                Genesis 19:1

                   All she could hear was the sound of her breathing.  Finally, they reached the town one of the two angels told them to flee to. The sun began to rise over the horizon. The long night was over! Behind her she could hear the sound of rumbling like heavy drums. Orange and yellow light like torchlight flicker'd eerily around herself, her husband and daughters. Then she thought of everything they left; the people, the food, the beautiful clothing, their comfortable life. "Just one last look," she thought to herself as her head turned toward the city. As soon as her eyes rested on the damned city, she herself was destroyed.

           
                  Run for your lives!!      

               When Lot still hesitated, the angels seized his hand and the hands of his wife and two daughters and rushed them to safety outside the city, for the Lord was merciful.
                                                                                                                          Genesis 19:16

                   This story is disturbing in and of itself.  We see a glimpse of how vile the people of the city were. Young and old men wanted to have sex with two strangers (angels) that were visiting Lot. We know that the people of Sodom and Gomorrah were sexually immoral, violent, thieves, murderers, and the list goes on. 

                   Have you noticed? The angels were urgent. They were even forceful. They demanded to know if Lot had family. They told him that the outcry against the place was so great that God sent them to destroy it. Lot told his sons-in-law. They thought he was joking! Sound familiar? During Noah's time it was the same except it was the whole world save Noah, his wife, sons and daughters-in-law. 

                  Lot's sons-in-law could have escaped the wrath that was coming but they didn't believe Lot. They had a window of hope.

                  Lot's wife escaped the city. She was safely away. She had to look back! Why a pillar of salt? What does that signify? God had mercy on her. How corrupted was Lot's wife? We see a glimpse of her heart through her daughters. In verses 30-36 we see their hearts were wicked. They did not trust or ask God to provide them husbands. They took the situation into their own hands. 

                 What about me? You? We are the same. Wicked hearts full of selfish intent. Sometimes, without realizing it, we prefer the heart of salt to a heart of clay. 

                  Lately, the thoughts that come into my mind shock and disgust me. I am not good apart from Jesus. I am so grateful for God's abundant mercy for me. There were many times He could have turned me into a pillar of salt as I turned back toward the sin I ran from. 

                 I'm so thankful for the gift of The Holy Spirit. He keeps my heart from becoming a block of salt. Have you ever put a chunk of salt into some water? Well, it doesn't last very long. It dissolves. God gave us that warning and so many more through the Bible. The actions and horrendous repercussions from that choice, though,...a glance. 

                How can I, you, we live our every day lives in step with God? By keeping Him in the forefront of our minds.  By choosing to surrender to Him.  And by asking Him to keep our hearts soft like clay.