Mercy In Judgment

When he hesitated, the men grasped his hand and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters and led them safely out of the city, for the Lord was merciful to them. As soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, “Flee for your lives! Don’t look back, and don’t stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away!”

Genesis 19:16-17 NIV

What can you say about Lot and his wife? They definitely are not an example of what we are supposed to be like. Even though Peter describes him as "a righteous man" (II Peter 2:2), I don't think we are to follow his example of moving close to, then into sin. We should learn what not to do and what to do when confronted with God's mercy. We should not hang around sin and we should flee from sin when the Spirit begins to convict us. 

The parallel to our lives is simple. Lot saw Sodom and thought it looked good. First, he pitched his tents near Sodom (Genesis 13:12). Then, he moved in to Sodom and got caught up in their battles (Genesis 14:12). Finally, he's sitting in the gateway of the city (Genesis 19:2) hanging out with the leaders. When God came down to judge the city for the evil, Lot didn't want to leave. The sinful lifestyle had become part of Lot and his family. Despite that, God mercifully grasped his hand and the hands of his wife and daughters and saved them. Except Lot's wife who looked back. 

The parallel for you and I can be many different areas of sin. Specifically, I want us to think about an area where the Spirit has done something in your life that should alert you. Maybe there was a little warning on your phone, or computer screen. Perhaps it was a look from your spouse. Maybe you're just hanging our with friends and the topics and choices make you wonder if you should be there or do that. Well, that's the Spirit beginning to convict you. 

In the story of Lot I see three levels of mercy and what for us would be the Spirits' work within us. First, when sin is just a temptation, like Sodom, a choice. Lot knew better and so do we. Second, when we move right up into the sin. God may rescue us like he did Lot when Abram fought the kings that took him. Third, we become part of the sin. In each of those the Spirit is convicting us. Finally, there will come a moment when the Spirit grasps our hand and says, "Flee for your life!" Don't think. Just flee.

Are you at one of those moments? Has he rescued you and you went back? Is the Spirit offering you a way out? Take it. 

Do You Need a Drink?

On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried

out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’”

John 7:37-38 ESV

Spiritually speaking, are you thirsty? Do you know you need a drink? What I mean is; do you know you need more of Jesus? Do you realize your spiritual poverty? 

No condemnation. Remember, any inclination within yourself to seek God, to know him in a deeper way, to understand the Bible, to be more like Christ, is the Spirit of God working within you. 

Jesus, "cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink." I think this is something we shouldn't overthink. We know we need to drink. Christ said to go to him. Let's go to him. 

Lord Jesus, we come to you and ask for the Spirit, for living waters to flow from within us. Thank you that you hear our prayer.

Helpful

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

John 6:63

Many moons ago I took up golf. I bought a book by the late great golfer Ben Hogan Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf. It's a great book and helped me a lot. I just had trouble hitting the driver, so, I took  a lesson from this guy at the local golf course. He was no help at all. He messed me up so badly that I couldn't even hit my short irons anymore. 

Shortly after that I moved and I went to another teacher who watched me for a moment and said, "Your thinking way to much. Just think about your wrists..." Then he showed me how to set up to hit my driver and longer irons. Really helpful. 

What does that have to do with John 6:63? Sometimes we hear all kinds of stuff about walking with God and to be frank, it's often more about the flesh than the Spirit. It's rules, legalism, emotionalism, anything but the Spirit. Now, by the Spirit I don't mean warm fuzzy feelings or hyped up emotional reactions. The Spirit is about faith in God, not ourselves. It's about going to Christ for life. It's not about us, it's about Christ.