John was able to attend church with us this week. Let me tell you, if you have a partner who can come with you every week, be so thankful. If you don't, get them there. You are really missing out.
So, last week, the lesson was on the story of Lot. (Genesis chs 12, 13, 18 and 19). Lot moves with his uncle Abraham. Eventually, the both have many posessions and to keep their herdsmen at peace, Abe says they should separate. He gives Lot first pick and Lot chooses the lush plains of the river Jordan near Sodom. I mean, that place had a lot to offer. First we see Lot pitched his tent TOWARD Sodom, then we see him IN Sodom, then we see him in a position of leadership OVER Sodom. Little by little he moved closer and closer to that city of sin until he was right in the thick of it. Now, we are told that Lot is a righteous man, but in the end, his mistakes and sin (no matter how gradual and subtle) cost him his entire family (except 2 girls) in the destruction of the city.
After church, I tell John something like this, "you may think I'm crazy, but guess what I was thinking about the entire church service." "What?" "Us moving." I go on to explain why:
"Lot lost his family long before the destruction of the city because (we can see from the Bible) they are not righteous. They are not believers. Using today's term - they are not "saved."
Why? What led them down that road? First, we see he placed his family close to a city of terrible sin, eventually, after time, moving right in to it. We all know that old adage, If you play with fire, you're going to get burned. Well, they did.
Second, (now this is purely HLO speaking and not anything I've heard in church, but), I think he picked the wrong wife. His wife looked back, longingly, mournfully, to that wretchedly sinful city. This leads me to believe that she was totally into all that the city had to offer - there was probably entertainment, friends, culture, great shopping, fun. Being the wife of a city official, she probably had some power of her own and was presumably pretty popular. The draw of all of these things led to her destruction. And you know, if she feels that way, she is really influencing her children in that way. "Oh Lot, let her wear that dress, It's the latest fashion. How will she get a good boyfriend if she keeps dressing like an old lady?" (fill in music, hair, language, etc.)
It all really got me to thinking about where we should move. I mean, we can go anywhere in the state, but we really need to make sure we are choosing our location for the right reason. Our number one priority needs to be - Can we attend a solid, fundamental, bible-believing church there. Second, is there a solid Christian school and/or homeschooling network there. Not land, not price, not cost of living, not family (sorry), not hunting, not station. We know that all the other stuff will be worked out for us if we keep our priorities straight."
I was sure he was going to flinch at that ... not land? He's always wanted land of his own to manage/hunt. Not Station?
He said, "Guess what I was thinking about?" I said, "boy stuff. The mean part where the townspeople come to do bad stuff to the visitors?" "No!," he said, "I didn't think about any of that stuff. I was actually thinking the exact same thing you were."
Now, tell me there is not a blessing when you can attend church with your spouse.
The other day, the girls and I were dressed up like grown-ups and we were pretend shopping. I suddenly say, in my best grown-up voice, "you know what ladies, we should go to the salon and get our nails done."
