Daily Bread Devotional For Today July 24, 2023
Daily Bread Devotional for Today July 24, 2023 Monday Message. As you study today’s devotional, remember this; “Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15 (NLT)
TOPIC: Remembering Lot’s Wife
SCRIPTURE READING — GENESIS 19:24-26, LUKE 17:28-32
KEY VERSE: “The day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down. . . . It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. . . . Remember Lot’s wife!” — Luke 17:29-32
“Remember Lot’s wife!” Even though this is one of the shortest statements in the Bible, it packs a wallop. It offers a solemn warning about choosing foolishly. Lot’s family is given clear instructions: Sodom is about to be destroyed, so head for the hills and don’t look back. But, tragically, Lot’s wife cannot resist looking back. She steals a peak and is turned into a pillar of salt. She is frozen in time at the moment of her disobedience, a monument to the dangers of spiritual compromise.
Most societies memorialize significant achievements in some way. We build statues to honor war heroes, great leaders, and athletes. But what do we do with figures of failure and ruin? They are embarrassing rather than inspirational, so we keep them out of sight. God, however, is so concerned with our spiritual well-being that he immortalizes failure. Through the story of Lot’s wife, the Lord calls generations to remember the high cost of sin.
It breaks God’s heart to see his children fall into disgrace because temptation has gotten the best of them. Although the sin may be forgiven, often the scars and collateral damage last a long time. That’s why he says, “Remember Lot’s wife”—who held on too tightly to the things of this world.
PRAYER: Lord, forgive us for holding on to worldly desires and failing to obey you fully. Guide us to follow you. Amen.
About the author — Dan Jongsma
Daniel Jongsma serves as an interim pastor in Fulton, Illinois. He has pastored congregations in Elmhurst and Fulton, Illinois; in Dearborn, Michigan; and in Nashville, Tennessee. Dan also served as a church planter in the Chicago area. He and his wife, Gloria, have three daughters and four grandchildren.
READ MORE TOPICS: OPEN HEAVENS, OUR DAILY BREAD, IN TOUCH, SEEDS OF DESTINY, STREAMS OF JOY, JOEL OSTEEN, MOUNTAIN TOP LIFE, DCLM DAILY MANNA, UCB WORD FOR TODAY