Wandering Bodies, Wandering Hearts

More of an observation today than a thought: We all know the story of Abraham's nephew Lot in the book of Genesis. On the outside looking in, I am puzzled why a man belonging to God's family would move to Sodom, see the atrocities that are taking place there and decide to stay anyway. Then, more than once, Lot needs to be saved from trouble taking place in this region . . . but he still stays. Now, I won't go so far to say that this passage should be interpreted this way, but it added to some self-reflection I was already doing today. On the outside, a person looks and thinks, "What a fool." But, when I thought a little deeper about the constant temptations I go through, I realized how much I act like Lot. As a Christian, I am tempted to want to take a closer look at how the pagans are living, to want to blend in with them now and then, to become part of the "world" and tell myself I won't be affected by it. In the words of a dear friend, I am tempted to "toe the damn line". Then, I wonder what is happening when tragedy strikes, when heartache comes, when humility is delivered. Thankfully, I worship the same God Lot worshiped, and just as God provided time and again for him, so He provides for me. All this reminded my of a verse from one of my favorite hymns:

"O' to grace how great a debtor daily I'm constrained to be; let that grace now, like a fetter, bind my wand'ring heart to thee. Prone to wander -- Lord, I feel it -- prone to leave the God I love: here's my heart, O' take and seal it, seal it for thy courts above."

-Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing