Daily Worship (Oct 11)

We live in a world where people are often treated unfairly. Sometimes the guilty go free, and innocent people suffer. It can seem like nobody cares about what is right. But Abraham reminds us that God is different. When Abraham learned that God planned to judge Sodom, he asked, “Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?” Abraham knew that God was perfectly just. He trusted God to do what was right, even when he didn't understand everything God was doing. We can have that same confidence. God sees every wrong, hears every cry, and will one day make all things right. At the cross, we see both God's justice and his mercy. Jesus took the punishment our sins deserve so that we could be forgiven. When life seems unfair, we can trust God's justice instead of seeking revenge. We can also work for justice by loving others and standing up for those who are mistreated.

Read Genesis 18:20–33

COMMA Questions:

• Context: What has God promised Abraham in Genesis 18:17–19, and how does that help explain why God tells him about Sodom?
• Observation: What does Abraham ask God, and how does God respond each time?
• Meaning: What does Abraham mean when he calls God “the Judge of all the earth”?
• Main Idea: What does this conversation teach us about God's justice and his willingness to show mercy?
• Application: When you see injustice or experience unfair treatment, how can you respond in a way that shows trust in God?

Have you ever known the right thing to do but struggled to do it? Maybe you needed to apologize, tell the truth, or walk away from something sinful. Lot faced a much greater decision. God had warned him that Sodom was about to be destroyed. The angels told him to leave immediately, but Lot hesitated. He knew the danger, yet he struggled to leave his home behind. What happened next is amazing. The angels took Lot and his family by the hand and led them out of the city. Why? The Bible says, “The Lord was merciful to them.” Lot was not saved because he was brave or obedient. He was saved because God showed him mercy. We are much like Lot. We often hesitate to leave our sins behind. But God does not leave us to save ourselves. Through Jesus Christ, he reaches out to rescue sinners who cannot rescue themselves. His mercy gives us a reason to trust him and follow where he leads.

Read Genesis 19:12–22

COMMA Questions

• Context: What happened earlier in Genesis 19 that shows why Lot and his family needed to leave Sodom?
• Observation: What does Lot do when the angels tell him to leave, and how do they respond?
• Meaning: Why does verse 16 say that the Lord was merciful to Lot and his family?
• Main Idea: What does Lot's rescue teach us about God's mercy toward people who struggle to obey him?
• Application: Is there something God is calling you to leave behind or change in your life? How does his mercy encourage you to take that step?

When God rescued Lot and his family from Sodom, he gave them a clear command: run for your lives and don't look back! But Lot's wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt. Jesus later warned his followers, “Remember Lot's wife!” Why would Jesus bring up this strange story? Because it teaches us something important about our hearts. Lot's wife was leaving Sodom, but her heart may still have been attached to the life she was leaving behind. Jesus warns us that following him means letting go of anything we value more than him. This doesn't mean we earn salvation by being good enough. Salvation is God's gift of grace through faith in Jesus Christ. But genuine faith changes what we love and where we place our hope. Jesus gave his life to rescue us from sin and judgment. Why would we want to return to what he came to save us from? Following Jesus means trusting that what he offers is better than anything we leave behind.

Read Luke 17:26–33

COMMA Questions:

• Context: Why does Jesus bring up the days of Noah and Lot while teaching about his return?
• Observation: What were people doing before judgment came in the days of Noah and Lot?
• Meaning: What warning is Jesus giving when he says, “Remember Lot's wife”?
• Main Idea: What does this passage teach us about being ready for Jesus' return?
• Application: What things in your life might be competing with Jesus for your love and attention, and how can you begin putting him first?