Wednesday, December 17th 2025

Looking forward

“But Lot’s wife looked back and became a pillar of salt” – Gen 19:26 (NIV).

There is a saying that hindsight is wisdom. This is because when one looks back with the benefit of greater knowledge most  of everything in life looks quite easy, if not romantic. Indeed we can easily beat ourselves looking back at the past since we are now in better position to know much better. Many times compared to our present challenges the past can look so attractive!

Such was the case with Lot’s wife who being led away from fire paused to look back at the life she had left behind in Sodom. Actually there was nothing much to inspire one being there for Sodom had degenerated into total wickedness. The night before after being visited with angels Lot had been attacked by men who wanted to rape his visitors. “Get out of our way,” they replied. This fellow came as a foreigner and now wants to play judge! We’ll treat you worse than them” (Gen 19:9).

But by looking back Lot's life became a "pillar of salt!" Point here: let’s not fall into the temptation of habitually looking back for the life we left behind. Instead let's remember what the Apostle Paul says: “Brothers I do not consider that I have made it on my own. But one thing I do, forgetting what is behind and straining forward to what lies ahead” (Phil 3:13). That is the attitude.

Prayer for today: Lord father in heaven, I start today looking forward to the bright future ahead that belongs in you and not the past already gone by, this I pray in Jesus’s name!