Women of Faith - Lot's Wife.

Lot's Wife - Leaving the Past Behind.

Sodom is in some serious trouble. People are sinning everywhere, and it's like God's rules don't apply anymore. Case in point: in Genesis 19, we learn 2 angels come to Lot's house, and prepare to spend the night. Before the men go to bed, however, all the men from the part of the city of Sodom, from young men to older men, surround Lot's house. They start shouting at Lot inside, telling him to make the 2 "men" - i.e., the angels - come outside so they can have sex with them. (Genesis 19: 1-5)
Whoa, back up here? Men are screaming at Lot, demanding that he make these 2 strangers come outside and do...what? It's clear that Sodom had turned from God in a most extreme way.
Lot knows that the men are sinning, and so he tried to at least make it right by offering his daughters to the men. The two men inside pull Lot back inside, and tell Lot to take his family and all his things and leave, because God is going to destroy Sodom. They all grab their things and run, while the two men tell them not to look back under any circumstances. That wouldn't be hard, right?
Apparentally not. As they run through the plains outside of Sodom, God begins raining down burning sulfur, covering the city. One person looks back though - Lot's wife. Immediately she's covered by the sulfur, turning her into what the scriptures say "a pillar of salt."
After reading this, you may ask yourself, "Um, Mrs. Lot? Why in the WORLD would you turn around???" It's easy to think that she did something rather dumb. But honestly, think about it - she's leaving everything she ever knew behind her while she's running towards a completely unknown future. She's leaving everything behind - her home. All her things except what she could carry. Her friends. Her whole life was going up in flames behind her! You can't honestly say that you wouldn't turn around and look.
What's God telling you to run from in your life? When God tells you to move on from a friendship that isn't helping you out, do you cut it off immediately? Or do you find yourself still hanging around them, telling yourself it won't be for too much longer? Or even this - a break-up. You're devastated...and hoping that you'll get back together even though they're not good for you. When you get hung up on "what might have been," it keeps you from seeing "what might be." God has new and way better possibilities in the future, if you'll only trust him.
So here's your NR challenge for this post. I challenge you to let go of your past, without looking back for a second thought or another glance. Take it from Lot's wife. When it comes to letting go of your past, one look back can be your last.
Are you in?

-Kimber.