Smack dab in the middle of Jesus’ discourse on the days prior to His coming, He warns us with these words, “Remember Lot’s wife.” (Luke 17:32) She looked back on Sodom and turned into a pillar of salt (Genesis 19:26). The tragic error of Lot’s wife was that she placed her interests and affections on an earthly society rather than on a heavenly one (cf. Hebrews 11:10). She turned back because her heart (her affections and desires) still wanted to be in Sodom (Genesis 19:17, 26). How does that relate to me? to you? Here is what it means in a practical sense. As Christians, we have been redeemed out of this world. Now, our affections are to be set on things above, not on things on the earth. But we are living in the midst of fallen people. We are concerned with the needs of our families. If we are not prayerful and careful, we can get trapped “in the world.” Thus, we read in 1 John, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.” (2:15)
Instead of looking up, Lot’s wife looked back. If we are not keeping our eyes on Jesus, we will inevitably look back and turn into a pillar of salt. We will lose our savor. How can we avoid such a catastrophe? Jesus transitions from the days of Noah and Lot to a parable on prayer. Jesus tells us that prayer (by that I mean Spirit-born prayer) is the discipline that will keep us from fainting or growing weary. Beloved, spending time with Jesus is what strengthens us to resist the riptide of this world. As we spend time with The Lord and in His Word, we find the path of light in a world of darkness. We hear a Voice that whispers to our hearts, “Follow Me.”
Dear ones, each day is filled with things that appeal to our flesh. Lusts that war against our souls. Don’t bite the bait. Use the God-ordained means of this world for your necessary uses, but don’t look to the world as your treasure or you will become a pillar of salt. Don’t look back, look up. Your Redeemer draws near.
