Only God has the Answer

   Lot reached the village just as the sun was rising over the horizon. Then the Lord rained down fire and burning sulfur from the sky on Sodom and Gomorrah. He utterly destroyed them, along with the other cities and villages of the plain, wiping out all the people and every bit of vegetation. But Lot’s wife looked back as she was following behind him, and she turned into a pillar of salt. (Genesis 19:23-26, New Living Translation)

This past Wednesday, my state’s supreme court ruled that the extension of our stay-at-home order issued by our governor’s administration was "unlawful" and "unenforceable". With that order overturned, our stores, restaurants, taverns and churches were allowed to open, with recommendations that they follow CDC guidelines as far as social distancing, including only allowing a certain number of patrons into each business and requiring them to wear face masks.

Driving home from work that day, as I passed our area businesses, I noticed that the parking lots of all our bars were full. I don’t think any of them were following CDC guidelines. There was a picture on the internet of a tavern that was packed with customers.

I felt like I was driving away from Sodom and Gomorrah and kept telling myself, with face mask still hanging from my neck, don’t look back, don’t look back.

Now, don’t get me wrong. There’s nothing wrong with going down to the local tavern and throwing back a few brewskis with your friends. But we still are in the middle of a pandemic.

Also, I don’t care what the Republicans or the Democrats are saying. Both parties are filled with more than their share of jerks (ok, I had to say it, sorry, Lord, excuse my sin of badmouthing people who deserve it). And it makes my blood boil that they are turning this into a political war.

But whoever you believe, whoever you follow, there are still people being infected with the coronavirus, some are getting really sick and the health care system only has so much capacity to care for them. Yes, I get it, the economy is spiraling downward at a crazy rate and people have to go back to work and businesses have to find a way to stay afloat.

I don’t really have an answer, but how about if everyone sticks to the middle ground for a change instead of swinging so far one way or the other.

I don’t know. I didn’t want to go down this road. I didn’t want to get on my soapbox.

I just picture Lot and his wife and daughters running for their lives, trying to leave the city before God destroys it because the sin had gotten so bad there that destruction was the only solution.

Then I picture myself running as well, running from the news, from social media, from the spitefulness on all sides, but running to where I’m not sure. The safest place is into the arms of my Lord and Savior.

LORD, God, Heavenly Father, be with us all during these trying times. Grant our leaders the wisdom and the humility to make decisions that are in the best interests of all. Help people to see that sometimes the best solution is to compromise. Guide people to realize that they should put others before themselves. Shower this earth with love and understanding, kindness and peace. In Jesus' name. Amen

I have a lot of pictures, but none of a pillar of salt. This picture of a diatomite mine in Kenya,
which my daughter took in 2010, is the closest I have.