Today’s passage describes the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, highlighting themes of judgment, mercy, obedience, and human frailty.
The story opens at dawn, a time symbolizing a new beginning, yet Lot hesitates even as destruction looms. Despite the warning and clear danger, his reluctance shows how hard it can be to let go of familiar surroundings, even when they are toxic or condemned. The mercy of God is evident in the angels’ intervention: they physically pull Lot and his family to safety. It is a powerful reminder that sometimes grace comes to us not because we act swiftly, but because God is patient and compassionate even in our slowness.
The command to “not look back” is more than logistical; it is deeply symbolic. Looking back suggests regret, attachment, or rebellion—a longing for what is left behind. When Lot negotiates to flee to Zoar instead of the hills, it reflects both his fear and God’s willingness to meet us in our weakness, showing that divine mercy can adapt to human limitation. Lot’s wife turning into a pillar of salt is often viewed as harsh, but it serves as a dramatic warning about the spiritual cost of looking back, of being divided in heart. Her backward glance may signify more than simple curiosity; it reflects an inability to surrender fully to God’s will, perhaps a deeper attachment to the life she left behind. Her fate becomes a timeless symbol of disobedience and divided loyalty.
The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah is not just an example of punishment, but also of intercession and divine remembrance. God’s sparing of Lot “because He was mindful of Abraham” reminds us of the power of faithful prayer and advocacy. It connects us back to the earlier scene where Abraham pleads with God on behalf of the cities—showing that our prayers on behalf of others matter. The final image of dense smoke rising like a furnace is haunting. It is not just a sign of devastation, but a witness to consequences, a moment for Lot and for us, to contemplate the cost of wickedness, and the gravity of divine justice.
This passage invites us to examine our own attachments: What do we hesitate to leave behind? What are we afraid to trust God with? It calls us to trust fully in God’s guidance, to act when grace calls us forward, and to not “look back” on the things that can no longer be part of the new life God is offering.
Jane Stein
I was born and grew up in Omaha. After my husband, Ed (who is a Creighton graduate as well) and I married (at St. John’s on campus) we moved to Arizona to work with the U.S. Public Health Service and lived on the Apache reservation and served the native-American population. We moved to Phoenix 4.5 years later to raise our three children John, Maggie and Michael. We are now blessed to have two beautiful grandchildren, Ernesto and Emelia.
I first served in the Dominican Republic with Institute for Latin American Concern (ILAC) as a 4th-year Pharmacy student while attending Creighton University School of Pharmacy and Health Professions. I then served as a professional volunteer there in 2018 and 2019 and now have the privilege of serving ILAC as Co-Director of Pharmacy since 2021.
I am humbled to have been invited to write for the online ministry. My hope is that I can bring others in closer relationship with God through my reflections. I have been blessed with spiritual mentors and would like to pay it forward.
