Before I begin this post, I want to say “thank you” for your prayers as I have been under the weather. I am doing much better today. Shew!
When they were safely out of the city, one of the angels ordered,
“Run for your lives! And don’t look back or stop anywhere in the valley!
Escape to the mountains, or you will be swept away!”
“Oh no, my lord!” Lot begged.
“You have been so gracious to me and saved my life, and you have shown such great kindness.
But I cannot go to the mountains. Disaster would catch up to me there, and I would soon die.
See, there is a small village nearby.
Please let me go there instead; don’t you see how small it is?
Then my life will be saved.”
“All right,” the angel said, “I will grant your request.
I will not destroy the little village. But hurry! Escape to it, for I can do nothing until you arrive there.”
(This explains why that village was known as Zoar, which means “little place.”)
As I read this about a week ago, my eyes stopped at the lines “But I cannot go to the mountain…..”
Can you imagine being in Lot’s shoes?
Visited by angels, spared by God, pointed toward safety, then having the nerve to say those words?
“But I cannot go to the mountain..”
Lot feared God’s rescue plan!
I wonder how many times we say, “But I cannot…” to God’s plan?
I don’t want to take this passage out of context, but the fact that this series of events is included in the story must mean it holds some sort of lessons for us today.
I wonder if one of the lessons has to do with Lot’s fear of the unknown?
I love that the angel allowed Lot to act on his fear.
Lot saw a small village nearby and begged to go there instead, because he thought surely disaster would find him in the mountains.
So, the angel, said, “All right. I will grant your request.”
I wonder if angels ever roll their eyes, because I’m just thinking that this would have been a perfect facial expression as he breathed those words.
And then, I think the angel would have shook his head as he watched Lot dart off to Zoar which he knew meant, “little place.”
So many times in my life, I have feared God’s mountain-sized callings and settled for “little places” where I can have security and daily purpose.
But, I’m thinking God often has bigger plans for us if we will just muster the courage to GO!
Maybe we’re not running from evil.
Maybe we’re not running at all.
Maybe we’re just feeling a call.
Let’s each take some time to look deep inside our hearts this week and ask the question, “Lord, what do you want from me?”
If you feel the nudge to turn towards something daring and somewhat scary that could bring glory to Him, don’t find yourself choosing a Lot kind-of life and settling in a “little place.”
As I read this evening, I thought of all the places I had to go in my life, felt a little fear of the unknown, but went since the Navy was his career. Now I am perfectly content in my small place. So now you have put another thought into my head to keep me thinking, what is my calling now that I am retired and leading a less stressful life. Need to think about. Thanks Tammy. Get plenty of rest to get well completey. Hugs, Sandy
SAndy I hope you see this comment because I want to tell you that I feel just as you do. I wish that I felt content in my small place like you say you dol. As I read Tammy’s post I was thinking that I WISH that I knew something God really wanted me to do, that I FELT or KNEW of some”calling”. So many years have gone by and there are things that in my emotions I wish I had done for the Lord when I was younger and could do them. But that time has gone, and realistically if I were meant to have done them I think the Lord would have nudged me then. But what now? I just don’t know at all. I try to be contented with my retired life but it seems very lacking in a lot of areas. I know that my God is not a God of lack and that He will fulfill the desires of my heart. I guess my problem is that I don’t seem to have one and I don’t like that.
Oh, now I am rambling and you may not ever see this.
Tammy, I am so glad you are feeling better, I have been praying and thinking I should get an email off to you. I have been busy crocheting. But that shouldn’t be an excuse. I love the posts that you write so thought provoking. Love how God uses you.
Sandy and Jen,
Can I just say to both of you that even though the “space” you fill may seem “little” to you, I PROMISE you that God is still using you in MOUNTAINTOP ways…..You have both blessed me personally in more ways than I could ever list, and I have never met either one of you. You have sent emails just when I needed them. You have prayed when I needed prayer. YOu have reminded me of what is important and pushed me along in my faith. I know if you are doing this for me, then you are surely doing this for many others.
You are both so very precious to me, and I mean that with all of my heart!
One day, I will hug you both! Either here or in Heaven, and oh, what a day that will be!
Love,
Tammy
I can’t believe I just read this post today (Tues). I have been thinking about something for a couple days and just wondering if it’s possible. I am wanting to share my thoughts with my friend here in town, and now I am going to! Pray that something will happen! Thanks for this blog, esp. today! I will keep you informed. Holly