1月25日；
创世记13；
唱诗：诗篇101:1,3；

只搭救了那常为恶人淫行忧伤的义人罗得。因为那义人住在他们中间，看见听见他们不法的事，他的义心就天天伤痛。（彼后 2:7-8）

罗得选择居住在约旦肥沃的平原上，那地浇灌滋润地像是耶和华的园子。他选择的区域看上去犹如天堂，但实际上却像地狱一般。在创世记13章13节中，我们读到过“所多玛人在耶和华面前罪大恶极”。

彼得写到罗得是个义人，就像挪亚一样，我们在昨天的灵修中已经讨论过。罗得如何能住在这样罪恶人中间？这并不容易，罗得为恶人的淫行忧伤，因看见听见他们不法的事，他的义心就天天伤痛。这地是极好的，人却是极坏的。

罗得为什么没有凭借自己的意志离开？如果他忍受不了那些人，为什么还要住在那里？因为他和大多数人并没有什么不同，随着时间的推移，他融入了当地的环境。他在那里经商，并获得了社会地位，不久便很难离开。他的妻子喜欢那里，他女儿的丈夫们也不愿意跟罗得走，甚至罗得自己也需要天使帮助来战胜犹豫。

尽管如此，他那些恶贯满盈的邻舍确实使他忧伤和痛苦。即使多年之后，所多玛人还是将罗得看作外地人，所以耶和华允许罗得逃离那里。

我们生活在与罗得不同的时代，世界正在走向完全的最终的审判。我们居住在一个不法和不敬畏神的世界，我们为周围的不法和污秽而忧伤吗？我们如何与这个世界相连？

实际上来说，我们住在这个世界却又不属于这个世界是什么意思？主耶稣基督没有祷告神使我们离开世界，而是求神保守我们脱离那恶者（约 17:15）。

思考问题：我们如何回应当今社会的污秽和不法？我们应该逃跑和隐藏吗？

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January 25
Genesis 13
Song:Psalm 101:1,3

DISTRESSED AND TORMENTED

“Lot..was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men...and tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard."（2 Peter 2:7-8)

Lot chose to live in the fertile plain of the Jordan, which was well watered like the garden of the LORD. The area he chose looked like Paradise, but in reality, it was like hell. Already in Genesis 13:13, we read, “ the men of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the LORD.”

Peter writes that Lot was righteous, like Noah, whom we discussed in yesterday's devotion. How then could Lot live among such wicked people? It was not easy, for Lot was distressed by the filthy lives of sinful men and tormented by the lawless deeds he saw and heard. The physical area was superb but the people were horrible.

Why did Lot not leave Sodom by his own volition? If he could not bear the people, why did he stay? It is because he was not that different from most people, who, in the course of time, settle into their surroundings. He developed business contacts and a social position. After a while, it was hard to leave. Lot's wife liked it there and his daughters had husbands who did not want to go with Lot. Even Lot needed help to overcome his hesitation.

Yet the sinfulness of his neighbors truly distressed and tormented Lot. Even after many years, the people of Sodom still considered Lot an alien, and so the LORD allowed him to escape.

We live in a different time. The world is now heading towards total and final judgment. We live in the midst of a lawless and ungodly world. Are we distressed by the lawlessness and filth we see around us? How are we connected to this world?

In practice, what does it mean that we live in this world but we do not belong to this world? Our Lord Jesus did not pray that we would be taken out of this world, but that we be protected in it(John 17:15).

Questions: How do we respond to the filthiness and lawlessness of our present society?Should we run and hide?