Hesitation and Mercy

Genesis 19:18–22 (NASB95) 

18But Lot said to them, “Oh no, my lords! 19“Now behold, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have magnified your lovingkindness, which you have shown me by saving my life; but I cannot escape to the mountains, for the disaster will overtake me and I will die; 20now behold, this town is near enough to flee to, and it is small. Please, let me escape there (is it not small?) that my life may be saved.”  

21He said to him, “Behold, I grant you this request also, not to overthrow the town of which you have spoken. 22“Hurry, escape there, for I cannot do anything until you arrive there.” Therefore the name of the town was called Zoar. 

Lot faced a moment of crisis as judgment approached Sodom. The angels urged him to flee to the hills for safety. Lot again hesitated. He feared the unknown and pleaded to escape instead to the small town of Zoar. Lot’s request revealed his attachment to comfort and the familiar, even as destruction loomed. His reluctance stands in sharp contrast to Abraham’s earlier prompt obedience and trust in God’s direction. 

God responded with patience and grace. The angels granted Lot’s request and agreed not to destroy Zoar. The name Zoar means “small.” Lot used this as his argument for its sparing. God’s willingness to preserve Zoar for Lot’s sake demonstrates mercy in the midst of judgment. God delayed destruction until Lot reached safety. This act of grace echoes Abraham’s earlier intercession for Sodom. God listens to human pleas and responds with compassion, even when faith is weak. 

The church today must not let fear or comfort keep us from obeying God. Trust His direction, even when it leads away from what is familiar. God’s grace covers our weakness, but He calls us to follow Him without delay. The church must be ready to move when God speaks, confident that His mercy will go before us. God’s patience is great, but His call to obedience is clear.