Genesis 19:16 (NLT) 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.

Abraham and Lot had parted ways because the land that they were both occupying wasn't large enough for all of their herds and flocks. So Abraham told Lot to take first pick of the land. Wherever Lot would choose to go, Abraham was going to go in the opposite direction. Lot looked over the land towards Sodom and Gomorrah and saw that there were plenty of lush, green fields all around, so he chose that area for himself. Little did he know that the decision that he made would cost his wife's life and almost cost his own life and the life of his daughters because God had determined to destroy those cities because the sin of the people living there was so flagrant. But God was merciful to Lot because of his uncle, Abraham, and sent two angels to get him and his family out of there before the destruction was to come. The angels told Lot what was about to happen and told him to hurry up and get out of there with his family. But the Bible tells us that he hesitated. It was only because of the mercy of God that the angels grabbed his hand and literally led him and his family out and towards safety.

Even though Lot heard from the angels that God was going to utterly destroy the city that he was living in, he still hesitated. What would cause that hesitation? Was it unbelief? Did he think that the angels were lying to him or that they had been mistaken? Or was it that he was so caught up with his surroundings that he really didn't want to go? Whatever the reason was, it was a bad idea to hesitate. Once God declares something, it's going to happen and the best thing to do is obey and follow Him.

The lesson here is that when God speaks to you and gives you instructions, don't hesitate to follow them. Don't hesitate to obey the voice of the Lord, whether He speaks to you from the Word of through other means when they are clear. When the Lord wants to communicate something to you, He has a great number of ways that He can do that and when He does, it is crystal clear that it is Him giving you direction. Once you have determined that it clearly is the Lord speaking, then it's time to move...or it's time to stay if that's what He is telling you. In other words, whatever He tells you to do is what you should do. Hesitating like Lot did can not only be detrimental to you, but it can also affect everyone around you. Whether God says yea or nay, go or stay, move or hold steady, do what He says without delay because He loves you and is giving you instructions for your safety and for your life's sake. Following His direction leads to having no regrets. There's never a reason to hesitate to do what God says when you have heard from Him.

Pastor Joey Vazquez