Who Stands Fast?

Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote in his Ethics:

"Who stands fast? Only the man whose final standard is not his reason, his principles, his conscience, his freedom, or his virtue, but who is ready to sacrifice all this when he is called to obedient and responsible action in faith and in exclusive allegiance to God--the responsible man, who tries to make his whole life an answer to the question and call of God. Where are these responsible people?"

In thinking through this question, "Who stands fast?" and my own measuring up (or lack thereof), I have found an unlikely example of the man who stands fast in Lot. Lot? Yes, Lot.

If you think about Lot's life, you'll find he is not the model of a faithful sojourner. He doesn't measure up well when he is compared with Abraham. Lot walked more by sight than by faith, and he certainly got much too familiar with the City of Sodom. Yet, for all his faults and foolish ways, he is called "righteous" (see 2 Pet. 2:7-8).

It's sometimes hard for me to relate to Abraham, but not to Lot. I'm a lot like Lot. I'm much too comfortable with our 21st century American culture. But, I am encouraged when I read about Lot taking a stand in Genesis 19. When evil men came knocking on Lot's door, Lot -- "righteous Lot" -- went outside of his home, closed the door behind him, and begged the men not to act so wickedly.

More and more I am coming to see that "evil men" (speaking figuratively of our culture) are knocking on my door. They want me, my wife and my children. May God give daily grace and strength for daily needs, that I might sacrifice all, stand fast...and fight for my son, my daughter, my wife and my home.

"I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken." -- Ps. 16:8