Genesis 19:18-22: a reflection

18Lot said to them, “Oh, not so, my lord. 19See now, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have magnified your loving kindness, which you have shown to me in saving my life. I can’t escape to the mountain, lest evil overtake me, and I die. 20See now, this city is near to flee to, and it is a little one. Oh let me escape there (isn’t it a little one?), and my soul will live.” 21He said to him, “Behold, I have granted your request concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow the city of which you have spoken. 22Hurry, escape there, for I can’t do anything until you get there.” Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.

As Lot flees the destruction of Sodom, he is afraid to flee all the way to the mountain as the angels urged, and begs instead to be allowed to escape to a nearby little city; and God, accommodating his fear, grants the request. I can't escape to the mountain, Lot pleads; let me escape to this little city, and my soul will live. And God says, I have granted your request concerning this thing also; I will not overthrow the city of which you have spoken. Rather than insisting Lot do exactly as told, God bends to Lot's fear and weakness, granting him the nearer refuge he begged for, and even waiting for him to reach safety. This shows God's accommodating mercy, bending to our weakness and fear. God accommodated Lot's fear, granting the refuge he begged. God bends to our weakness in mercy. God met Lot in his fear and granted his request. God's mercy accommodates our weakness.

Notice how God deals with Lot's fear. The angels had urged Lot to flee to the mountain; but Lot was afraid he could not make it, and begged to be allowed to flee instead to a little nearby city. God did not rebuke him for his fear or insist he do exactly as first told; he granted Lot's request, spared the little city so Lot could shelter there, and even said he would wait, that he could do nothing until Lot reached safety. This reveals a tender, accommodating mercy in God. He does not deal with us rigidly, demanding we overcome all our fear and weakness before he will help; he bends to our weakness, meets us where we are, grants us the refuge we can reach, and patiently sees us to safety. God is not harsh with our fear; he accommodates it in mercy. This is a comfort, for we are often weak and fearful, unable to do all that seems required; and God, in his mercy, meets us in our weakness and provides for us within it. God bends to our fear and weakness rather than dealing rigidly. God meets us where we are and provides refuge we can reach. God's mercy accommodates our weakness tenderly. God is patient and gentle with our fear.

That is worth resting in, for God accommodates our weakness and fear in mercy, meeting us where we are, as he granted Lot the nearer refuge he begged for and waited for him to reach it. We can feel that God will deal rigidly with us, demanding we overcome all our fear and weakness before he will help; but God bent to Lot's fear, granting the little city he pleaded for and even waiting for him to arrive safely. God is tender with our weakness. When you feel too weak or afraid to do all that seems required, remember that God accommodates your weakness in mercy. Rest in the truth that God accommodates our weakness and fear in mercy, meeting us where we are, as when Lot, afraid to flee to the mountain as the angels urged, begged to escape instead to a little nearby city, and God granted his request, sparing the city so Lot could shelter there and saying he could do nothing until Lot reached safety; for God does not deal with us rigidly, demanding we overcome all our fear and weakness before he will help, but bends to our weakness, meets us where we are, grants us the refuge we can reach, and patiently sees us to safety, so that when we are weak and fearful, unable to do all that seems required, we can trust that God in his mercy meets us in our weakness and provides for us within it, tender and patient with our fear.

Lord, as Lot flees the destruction of Sodom, he is afraid to flee all the way to the mountain as the angels urged, and begs instead to be allowed to escape to a nearby little city; and you, accommodating his fear, grant the request. I can't escape to the mountain, Lot pleads; let me escape to this little city, and my soul will live. And you say, I have granted your request concerning this thing also. Rather than insisting Lot do exactly as told, you bend to his fear and weakness, granting him the nearer refuge he begged for, and even waiting for him to reach safety. This shows your accommodating mercy, bending to my weakness and fear. Show me how you deal with Lot's fear. The angels had urged him to flee to the mountain; but Lot was afraid he could not make it, and begged to flee instead to a little nearby city. You did not rebuke him for his fear or insist he do exactly as first told; you granted his request, spared the little city, and even said you would wait until he reached safety. This reveals a tender, accommodating mercy in you. You do not deal with me rigidly, demanding I overcome all my fear and weakness before you will help; you bend to my weakness, meet me where I am, grant me the refuge I can reach, and patiently see me to safety. This is a comfort, for I am often weak and fearful, unable to do all that seems required. Let me rest in that, for you accommodate my weakness and fear in mercy, meeting me where I am. When I feel too weak or afraid to do all that seems required, help me remember that you accommodate my weakness in mercy, Lord, as you granted Lot the nearer refuge he begged for and waited for him to reach it, tender and patient with my fear, meeting me where I am and providing for me within my weakness.