When Sin Crouches at the Gate
How long does it take before what shocks you becomes the normal? How long before what would “never happen” becomes “ok”? Lot started out in the valley near Sodom. A couple chapters later we saw that he was rescued because he became captured during a skirmish due to the fact that he lived in Sodom. Today while reading chapters 16-19 we find Lot is sitting at the city gate of Sodom. Community affairs were all conducted at the city gates. For Lot to be sitting at the gate, we can take from this that he is not not just inhabiting Sodom but is a judge of Sodom, a city official, a leader.
How long before the righteous integrate into the fallen world and accept it as ok, normal and don’t remember that they are not “of” it? It looks different to love the world but still not be “of” the world. Lot was, at this point, “of” the world. We know this because when the men and boys come to his door to rape the angels, he offers up his virgin daughters instead when he should have been protecting them!
It was a gradual decline. It took about 30 years since Abraham was 70 when he separated from Lot and the promise was given by God. Slowly and surely we are desensitized to sin. Think about it for a minute. Take a look at any prime time TV show today and compare it to a prime time TV show from 1960. Do you see the differences? Amazing isn’t it?! But when did that happen? How did that happen? Slowly but surely. We must always, as Christians be on watch. “Oh, it’s just a little thing” should never be part of the vocabulary. Satan will use any foothold he can, and he has.
Reminds me of the children’s song we learned in church, it has never been so true, “oh be careful little eyes what you see, oh be careful little ears what you hear, for the father up above is look ing down in love.....”
Your eyes and ears are windows to your soul. What you feed in, eventually is what will come out. Please guard your heart and souls with everything you have. There are powers who will do all they can to fill you with evil clothed in all of the “it’s ok” stuff. Ephesians . 6:12, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. “