Genesis 19:15-16, "And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, 'Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city. 16And while he (Lot) lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city."

I was struck this morning with the phrase "the LORD being merciful unto him." Of all the people on the planet, who in my mind did not deserve mercy, it was Lot. But what is mercy? It is the withholding of deserved punishment. None of us deserve God's mercy! It is never merited but rather simply received and experienced.

Another believer was instrumental in Lot's deliverance, it was Lot's uncle, Abraham (I will speak of him later).

I'm glad by the way that I don't determine who receives mercy and who doesn't. One would not even know that Lot was saved if it wasn't for the statement made in 2 Peter 2:6-9, God "... turning the cities of Sodom  and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; 7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: 8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day  with their unlawful deeds;) 9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations..."

You see Lot was a saved man who had lost his testimony and influence. He had family that perished in Sodom! He had other daughters and sons-in-law, and possibly even grand children who died in the judgment. It could have been different, Lot could have been consistent in his living and never lost the ability to teach and warn his family. However, "...he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law."(19:14)

If it were not for God's mercy we would all perish in hell. Lamentations 3:22, "It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassion’s fail not."

In the midst of judgment God demonstrated mercy to Lot, and honored the intercessory prayer of Abraham. "And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in which Lot dwelt." Do you remember Abraham's pleading for mercy to be shown to the righteous (Gen. 18:23-33).

May we pray for God's mercy to be shown upon America, and our loved ones who don't know the Lord as their Savior.

QUESTIONS TO PONDER

1.  Do you deserve God's Mercy?  If so, what have you done to merit such a blessing?

2.  Why did Lot linger in Sodom?  What would you have done?

3.  Where would we all spend eternity if God were not merciful?

4.  Is there someone for whom you should intercede?  Would you pray for that person right now and seek to share the Gospel with him or her?

Your Friend and His,

Pastor Abbott