living loved

But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt. – Genesis 19:26

Ahhh, graduation. What a moment. What an evening. What hope and joy for what lies ahead. Graduation or commencement marks a time for new beginnings. Many graduates mark it as a time for an ending or a chapter closing but that isn’t commencement at all – it’s a new beginning, a new chapter, a fresh start.

And such was the thought of Lot’s wife. Like a new graduate, she got caught up in the memories, the life she had, the life she felt forced to flee from, and she looked back…and in that regretful moment, she turned into a pillar of salt. This may seem like a lot. I mean, seriously Lord…you had to turn her into a pillar of salt. Maybe she just wanted to take one more look, one more glance, one more ‘what if’ moment. She wanted to relish in all those moments of the past…

If you haven’t read Genesis 19, make some time to read it. It’s a difficult read as the people involved are, well, being typical people: selfish, destructive, prideful, sinful, boastful, disobedient…and the list goes on. There are moments when I gasp, drop my jaw absolutely appalled, and stand in self-righteous indignation because I would NEVER do the things those people did (eye roll).

And then there’s Lot’s wife. Compared to all the other sinful things happening around her, you would think a simple glance back to the life she had would be meaningless to God. But it wasn’t…it was more than a glance back. It was more than a regretful moment wishing for the life she had. It was disobedience. It was taking her eyes off of Yahweh. It was longing in her heart for the things she had rather than keeping her eyes on the prize and promises of the Father.

How many times in our lives are we looking back at what could have been, what we had, regretting past mistakes and decisions, and in all the looking back we fail to see what God has before us? If you’re honest with yourself, probably a lot more than you’d like to admit. We would all just be pillars of salt. Pillars of salt stuck in the barrenness of the past.

Our past does not define us (regardless of it being good or bad). But our future, our decision to keep our eyes on Him, looking to Him and Him alone, defines every movement forward. Her one decision to look back, disobeying God, and taking her eyes off of the promises ahead, cost Lot’s wife her life.

Interestingly, all throughout this chapter, many of the people involved (Lot’s family) are so hesitant to step into God’s promises, His mercy, His grace. Each struggle with leaving their current life behind, despite the fact that there is so much sin and darkness that God is willing to destroy their city, but save Lot’s family.

What’s keeping you from looking ahead? What’s stopping you from keeping your eyes on Yahweh? What from your past is greater than a future filled with hope?

Stop looking back. Stop longing for what could have been. Look ahead. Eyes forward. Eyes on Him. And let His promises define your future. You won’t regret it.

XOXO, Loni