HIDING IN FEAR

     Everything in Pupperville was back to normal, or at least, Randy thought. As a result, he, along with several other church board members, decided to have a special Sunday evening service to honor Bill Peterson and encourage him after everything his family had put the town through. But there was a problem. Bill was missing.

      “Psst” Martha called out to Randy from a side room near the front of the church. “Not yet, Bill” Randy whispered back. “I'm not Bill.” Martha said in return, “Bill is missing.” “Missing!” Randy shouted catching the attention of everyone in the congregation. “What do you mean Bill is missing?”

“He's missing.” Martha repeated.

      “He can't be.” Randy said. “I asked him this morning to help me tonight. I was going to have him tell me more about his past experiences with the Peterson disease. He said he would.” “Well,” Martha said, “He's missing. He's disappeared. He's gone.” “But he can't be. He's suppose to be helping me.”

      “I think he went into hiding.” Martha said, “Hiding?” Randy said, “What would he be hiding from?” Martha pointed to the people in the church and said “Them, He's hiding from them and everyone else in Pupperville.” “But why?” Randy asked, “We're here to honor and encourage him.” I know that.” Martha said, But he doesn't. He’s afraid that everybody is going dip him in tar and cover him with feathers and then torture him.”

      “I thought he told me an angel had told him everything was going to be alright.” Randy said. “He did.” Martha replied, “But after he stopped to think about the meeting tonight he panicked and now no one can find him.” “But there's no one here that wants to tar and feather him.” Randy said, “In fact, nobody in town wants to tar and feather him, they want to thank him.”

 

      “I know that!” Martha said. “even though I don;t know why?” “It's because of what Harold did.” Randy said. “After all, It's what Harold did that brought all of this on.” “Actually,” Martha interrupted, “Stella was the one. She tried to sabotage Harold's lab and it blew up and somehow caused the disease.”

      “Well,” Randy said, “Even if that is true, the people still rememberer how Harold almost died when he came to help the town during the great conspiracy.” “Yeah, he did do that.” Martha said, “that was a scary time.” “Not only that,” Randy continued, “But most of the town’s people think they have better memories now since the disease hit.” I guess that angel was right.” Martha said. Now if that angel was just tell me where Bill is hiding.”

      The two men said to Lot, “Do you have any other relatives in this city? Do you have any sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or any other relatives? If you do, tell them to leave now, because we are about to destroy this city. The LORD has heard of all the evil that is here, so he has sent us to destroy it.“

Genesis 19:12-13 (NCV)

      Lot was living in Sodom and Gomorrah but it was soon to be destroyed because it was so evil. Yet, Lot was hesitant to leave and then his wife turned back and was turned to salt and now more problems arise. Let's look at what happens next.

      Early the next morning, Abraham got up and went to the place where he had stood before the LORD. He looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and all the Jordan Valley and saw smoke rising from the land, like smoke from a furnace. God destroyed the cities in the valley, but he remembered what Abraham had asked. So God saved Lot’s life, but he destroyed the city where Lot had lived. Lot was afraid to continue living in Zoar, so he and his two daughters went to live in the mountains in a cave. One day the older daughter said to the younger, “Our father is old. Everywhere on the earth women and men marry, but there are no men around here for us to marry. Let’s get our father drunk and have sexual relations with him. We can use him to have children and continue our family.“ That night the two girls got their father drunk, and the older daughter went and had sexual relations with him. But Lot did not know when she lay down or when she got up. The next day the older daughter said to the younger, “Last night I had sexual relations with my father. Let’s get him drunk again tonight so you can go and have sexual relations with him, too. In this way we can use our father to have children to continue our family.“ So that night they got their father drunk again, and the younger daughter went and had sexual relations with him. Again, Lot did not know when she lay down or when she got up. So both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their father. The older daughter gave birth to a son and named him Moab. He is the ancestor of all the Moabite people who are still living today. The younger daughter also gave birth to a son and named him Ben-Ammi. He is the father of all the Ammonite people who are still living today.

Genesis 19:27-38 (NCV)

      After making it out of Sodom and Gomorrah, thanks to Abraham, and being afraid to stay in Zoar, Lot heads to the mountains and lives in a cave. His two daughters, thinking there is no men left, get their father drunk and then use their father to get themselves pregnant. Both had children that became problems to Israel and the world event to this day. There are lessons that can be found here.

• We need to prayer for others to be saved as Abraham prayed for Lot. James 5:16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. (ESV)
• Lot didn't really need to fear when God was looking after him. Neither did Bill Peterson, neither do we. Isaiah 49:14-16 But Jerusalem said, “The LORD has left me; the Lord has forgotten me.“ The LORD answers, “Can a woman forget the baby she nurses? Can she feel no kindness for the child to which she gave birth? Even if she could forget her children, I will not forget you. See, I have written your name on my hand. Jerusalem, I always think about your walls. (NCV) Hebrews 6:10 God is fair; he will not forget the work you did and the love you showed for him by helping his people. And he will remember that you are still helping them. (NCV)
• Sin can have a lasting affect. Look what Sodom and Gomorrah did for Lot's daughters and how the worlds suffers yet today. Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. (ESV) Ephesians 6:4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. (ESV)

      Here's Something To Ponder

• Do you needlessly hide in fear?
• Are you willing to trust God when he says all will be fine?

THE WAY IT WAS

     Bill Peterson had been at church for a long time, a very long time. Ever since an angel told him everything was going to be alright, he had been at the church praying. Bill didn't even go home to eat or sleep. When he got tired he slept on a pew and when he got hungry he went to the church kitchen or his kids brought him something to eat. As a result, he had no idea the town had gotten better.

      As Bill lay sleeping on a pew, he was suddenly awakened by a loud “YAHOO!” FOLLOWED BY “I'm here to round up the cows.” “Not another farmer running loose.” Bill thought as he sat up to see who it was he had heard. To his surprise, it was a farmer, or at least a farmer's daughter. It was Tracy McDonald but Bill couldn't tell if she was who she was or not.

      “So, are you some kind of cow girl rodeo star?” Bill asked “No.” Tracy said sadly, “I'm me. Boring old Tracy McDonald E I E I O.” “WOW” Bill Exclaimed in excitement, “Somebody else is themselves.” “Yeah ha.” Tracy sighed. “But that's great news.: Bill said, “How about the rest of the town, is it better too?” “Yeah, I guess so.” Tracy said with a sigh and plopped down on a pew.

      “Uhm,” Bill Said, “You don't sound to happy about that.” “It was fun when everybody was somebody else.” Tracy said. “But it was dangerous.” Bill reminded told her. “No it wasn't.” Tracy protested. “But what if there had been a fire.” Bill said, “Who would have put it out. The fire department thought they were NASCAR drivers, they would never had come.”

      “Well, I’m sure somebody would have thought they were fire fighters and came.” Tracy said. “But would they have known what to do?” Bill asked. “And what if somebody needed an emergency operation at the hospital?” “I guess I wouldn't have wanted my Dad to be the one doing the operation.” Tracy said.

      “Your dad thought he was a doctor?” Bill said. “That would have been scary. I've seen how he takes hooks out of the fish he catches.” “It was actually kind of funny.” Tracy said, “In fact, all of it was funny. I wish we were still all sick. I wonder if we could pass the disease around again.” “No way!” Bill said. I never want to go through that again.”

      “Oh well,” Tracy sighed, “I better find that cow and get back home.” “What cow?” Bill asked, there hasn't been any cows in here.” “There hasn't?” Tracy said a bit surprised, “I sure I can smell one in here.” Hearing that Bill started sniffing the air and then himself and then he started gagging. “I think I'm the one that smells like your cow. Maybe I should go take a shower. It's been at least two weeks since I had one.” “No wonder you smell like a cow.” Tracy said. “I guess I'll get back to the farm.

      So the LORD told Abraham, "I have heard that the people of Sodom and Gomorrah are extremely evil, and that everything they do is wicked. I am going down to see whether or not these reports are true. Then I will know."

Genesis 18:20-21 (NLT)

      Sodom and Gomorrah were very wicked and God was going to destroy them. Abraham had made a pact with God not to destroy it if 10 righteous people were found therein but how many were there, in there? As it turned out, there wasn't enough and even those who were allowed to escape wanted to hold back. Here's the story...

      That evening the two angels came to the entrance of the city of Sodom, and Lot was sitting there as they arrived. When he saw them, he stood up to meet them. Then he welcomed them and bowed low to the ground. "My lords," he said, "come to my home to wash your feet, and be my guests for the night. You may then get up in the morning as early as you like and be on your way again." "Oh no," they said, "we'll just spend the night out here in the city square." But Lot insisted, so at last they went home with him. As they were preparing to retire for the night, all the men of Sodom, young and old, came from all over the city and surrounded the house. They shouted to Lot, "Where are the men who came to spend the night with you? Bring them out so we can have sex with them." Lot stepped outside to talk to them, shutting the door behind him... "Stand back!" they shouted. "Who do you think you are? We let you settle among us, and now you are trying to tell us what to do! We'll treat you far worse than those other men!" And they lunged at Lot and began breaking down the door. But the two angels reached out and pulled Lot in and bolted the door. Then they blinded the men of Sodom so they couldn't find the doorway. "Do you have any other relatives here in the city?" the angels asked. "Get them out of this place—sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or anyone else. For we will destroy the city completely... At dawn the next morning the angels became insistent. "Hurry," they said to Lot. "Take your wife and your two daughters who are here. Get out of here right now, or you will be caught in the destruction of the city." When Lot still hesitated, the angels seized his hand and the hands of his wife and two daughters and rushed them to safety outside the city, for the LORD was merciful. "Run for your lives!" the angels warned. "Do not stop anywhere in the valley. And don't look back! … Then the LORD rained down fire and burning sulfur from the heavens on Sodom and Gomorrah. He utterly destroyed them, along with the other cities and villages of the plain, eliminating all life—people, plants, and animals alike. But Lot's wife looked back as she was following along behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.

Genesis 19:1-26 (NLT)

      Tracy was better, the town was better but Tracy wanted the disease back. Lot and his family didn't want to leave. Lot's wife wanted to turn back. God wants something different.

      God wants us to leave sin behind us, not stay with it. Hebrews 12:1 says - Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. (NLT) Earlier in the book God says A righteous person will live by faith. But I will have no pleasure in anyone who turns away." - Hebrews 10:38 (NLT) In Luke 9:62 Jesus says "Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God." (NLT) With all of this in mind, why would one want ot turn back? Why would one want to return to the ways of sin?

      Now for some icing on the cake - 2 Peter 2:20-21 And when people escape from the wicked ways of the world by learning about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and then get tangled up with sin and become its slave again, they are worse off than before. It would be better if they had never known the right way to live than to know it and then reject the holy commandments that were given to them. (NLT)

      Here's Something To Ponder

• Do you hesitate to get away from evil? Why?
• When away do you want to go back “one last time?” Why?