It’s easy to fall back into old habits. Especially when you get with friends from long ago or people you used to work with. (click the link to read more)

July 4, 2017

GN 19:15-29

PS 26:2-3, 9-10, 11-12

MT 8:23-27

It’s easy to fall back into old habits.   Especially when you get with friends from long ago or people you used to work with.  As a former construction foreman, I know all too well how the mind can make thoughts of our old ways seem joyful.   We reminisce together about days of old and often tell stories with almost a sense of pride.  Stories that are often of things we should never have been doing, and definitely shouldn't be happy we partook of.   Words that we thought we had kicked the habit of using come out of our mouths before we even realize we have said them.   It’s as if our flesh takes joy in all those carnal and sensual things, even though our mind knows they weren’t good for us then and still aren’t today.

Lots family were in the land he chose for them.  Abraham had given him the option.   Lot seeing how fertile and modern this land was wanted it for his own.   God saw the danger coming and sent messengers, at the request of Abraham, to Lot and his family telling them to flee.  In the process of leaving this life of sin, Lot’s wife looks back at what she is leaving behind.  It’s a tale of sorrow and sadness.  Was she reminiscing?  Was she so used to the city life that going back to living in the secluded country would be such a hardship?   Did she miss her friends? Her things?   Those thoughts we will never know.  What we do know is that spiritually it’s an emblem of all those times we look back at what we gave up with longing, instead of looking forward to the salvation offered to us by our God.

Just like Lot’s family, God was with the disciples on the boat during the storm.  Instead of keeping their eyes on Him, their faith in God’s provision, they looked out at the gathering waves, lightning, and crashes of thunder.   It’s easy to do.   Knowing who Jesus is, and knowing He promised to be there with them, they still on some level didn’t understand.  Like Lot’s wife, they were busy looking at the world, and not at the Lord.  We too should keep that in mind during the storms of our daily lives.  Jesus is present there and guiding us towards the destination.  He asks us to put our hands to the plow and never look back.  It is precisely during the storms that it is most important to keep our eyes on Christ, to head in the direction He has directed us, even if it’s hard to see or understand the outcome.   Then having done our very best to follow, knowing that Jesus is right there with us as we trudge along.

 His servant and yours,

Brian Mullins

"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my rock, and my redeemer. - Psalm 19:14