Come Out

October 29, 2023

And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; (Genesis 18:27).

Is God Calling You To Come Out?

There are times in our lives when we are unsure of what is the best thing to do. Do we stay in a place that keeps getting more unbearable every day? We want to do the right thing, but things never change, keep increasingly going in the wrong direction. We feel like God is hiding what He is going to do. We want to be in control of our future, we don't want to go down the wrong path mistakenly.

We read in the scriptures how Abraham bargained with God for Sodom and Gomorrah. At first, if there were 50 righteous, then 45. He continues bargaining; how about 40, 30, 20, and stops at 10. We ultimately see that there weren't even 10 as God destroys Sodom and Gomorrah. When the angels went in and brought out Lot and his family, we see they all fell into sin. Lot's wife looked back, his daughters got their father drunk and slept with him. Lot allowed himself to get drunk. Are we in situations where there are not even 10 good people left? Will we come out, and what are the dangers when we come out? Will we turn back for what we had? Will places we are at, promise things and turn back?

I wonder how would the world be today if God had chosen to "hide from Abraham that thing" he wanted to do; judge Sodom and Gomorrah. Do we take it upon ourselves to cover the poor judgments of others in situations we find ourselves in? We think we can overcome their bad decisions, and be helpful. In the end, if they don't change we will need to come out. Sodom and Gomorrah's choices to not change caught up with them. We can't allow others' choices to allow ourselves to suffer the same consequences as them. We find it hard to leave though. We have built our lives around the city.

Why Did Lot Need Angels to Lead Him Away?

Scriptures say Lot was a righteous man, which in Old Testament times meant he continually offered sacrifices for his sins. He had to have known about the sinfulness of the city he was in. Why would he stay? Why before he went into those cities, did he pitch his tent in their direction and Abraham did not? As Lot moved to the city, his livelihood, security, and comfort would have increased there, and been dependent on it. It would be hard to pick up and leave. When he received God's direction through the angels, he took his family and left that place. He probably didn't have a retirement plan or a pension he was about to receive. It was going to cost him financially to move, yet he followed God's direction willingly when it was spoken to him clearly of what was to come.

Have you ever read scripture and felt God showing you his timing when to come out of a place? In today's time, sometimes we receive our pensions, sometimes we retire, and then we move on to a better place. I can't think of any scripture where Lot gave his two-week notice, or announced his retirement to Sodom and Gomorrah; he just left with his family. In our society it is generally expected that we give notice to our employers, but what if it becomes unbearable? What if you are in a place where they are bearing down on your house, your home to get in? What if you work in a place where they take your time from family, they want what you have. They want all you have. They are continually crying out for more time, more everything. We need others to pull us back into our homes. We need someone to help hold the door. We need someone to say "enough". We need someone to lead us out of those places. We need as it says in scripture to have those bearing down on our doors "... wearied ... to find the door." (Genesis 19:11).

We see Christ at times hid himself, "Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by." (John 8:59). There may be times in situations, where God allows us to escape situations. Times when God blinds them to allow us a way out without harm.

God, I am thankful thou has blessed me in the places where I have been in my life. I am also thankful when thou callest us out of places. Direct our paths in life, and help us not to want to turn back from where we came. We put our trust in you. If it is thy will that we stay in places, give us the strength to "bear" against the door. Give us wisdom and guide us to help those that need our help. Amen