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