Today’s Readings: Genesis 18, 19; Psalm 3; Luke 7 Redemption and judgment: Haven’t we heard this message in the story of Noah and the flood? How do we interpret the story of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah? Sometimes we end up focused on the trees and miss the forest. Is this a story about fire and brimstone? Is it a story about what happens when we are not righteous? Is it a story about a particular sin? In a city called Sodom, the only righteous people God could find were Lot and his family – and then even Lot’s wife lost her focus. God does not want harm or judgement to befall any of us. God seeks redemption for all. But what if we choose “wicked” and not righteous? The Bible will continue to help us understand what it means to be righteous. The story concludes with a scene involving Lot and his daughters, showing that even those who appear righteous may not live that way. Who can save us from ourselves? “Lord, how many are my foes!” (Psalm 3) My greatest foes are the ones within me. “From the LORD comes deliverance.” Could someone who appears wicked actually be faithful? (an officer in Herod’s court) Who can tell? Only Jesus, it seems.