I reckon that most people have heard the story of Sodom and Gomorrah (from Genesis 19), at least in the context that the residents were so depraved and immoral that God destroyed the cities with fire-rain. God’s punishment didn’t happen on a whim, however. Abraham had already bargained (haggled, is more like it) with God to spare the cities if 50 … 45 … 40 … 30 … 20 … even if only 10 righteous people could be found. For a mere 10 people out of the whole metroplex, the Lord agreed to cancel the demolition.

As it turned out, Abraham’s nephew, Lot, may have been the only remotely righteous person in town. He did offer hospitality and protection to the pair of angels who came to investigate the city (but then offered to give his two virginal daughters to the angry mob outside of his house, before the angels intervened). The angels still spared Lot, his wife and his two daughters and ushered them out of town before the downpour began.

Despite the angels’ warning (Flee! Run! Don’t stop! Don’t look back!), Lot’s wife looked back, anyway. Scripture says that she was turned into a pillar of salt, but Lot and his daughters made it to safety. We women tend to become emotionally attached to sentimental things, places and people, don’t we? Regardless of how awful their hometown had to have been, perhaps Lot’s wife was thinking of her daughters’ births, moments from their childhood, their first home … and she looked back as the city went up in flames. In doing so, she turned her back on God’s plan to rescue her.

The next morning, Abraham woke up and returned to the holy place where he had encountered the Lord’s presence just days before (Gen. 19: 27-29). He looked across the landscape toward Sodom and Gomorrah and witnessed the smoldering evidence of God’s wrath. Abraham wasn’t turned into a pillar of salt for looking toward the cities. I wonder if the reason is because he acknowledged Almighty God (by returning to the place where they had spoken) and the merciful goodness that he showed by sparing Lot’s life.

Instead of looking toward the cities longingly, like perhaps Lot’s wife had done, I imagine that Abraham looked that direction with a deeper understanding of God’s purpose for his life. The past is over; there is no changing it. Looking back can only serve two purposes, in my humble opinion: 1) to dwell on what could’ve/should’ve/would’ve been, or 2) to remember how God delivered you and trust him as you move forward. Let us not turn our back on God’s rescue plan. Let us run full-force into his welcoming arms with no regrets!