Two men stood on a mountain in Canaan,
There to pray and meditate.
Abraham and Lot had conversation,
'Twas time for Lot to choose his fate.
Broad stretched the well-watered plain of Jordan
with fertile grounds, good for cattle and sheep.
To the east journeyed Lot, to that chosen location,
to make his abode and fulfill his vocation.
Lot lived in tents as he did in the past.
Traveled to Sodom to gain goods in trade.
Gained the respect of the city's people.
"Come live among us," - the offer was made.
Lot appeared to agree with the people
whose worship of God resembled his own
and the shadowed light in which they stood
gave a common belief to what's bad or good.
So power and riches he added to theirs
becoming an elder who judged at the gate.
Yet at the time of his joining did not discern
the afterglow of God's departing grace.
For flesh will strive to have its own way
and seekers of pleasure they had become,
leaving off the knowledge of God
one line at a time, until all was gone.
With anchor of faith severed by treason
Men did what they thought was right in their eyes
And plunged the soul into Satan's dark realm
where heart is blighted and conscience seared.
Reaching for knowledge, best left an orphan,
these seekers of pleasure deny themselves nothing.
Thrusting their spirits above their station
they believe they're gods and earth's true blessing.
And God above observed those lies
and surrendered these men to their passions
To restrain no longer their carnal desires
so evil can rise to judgment.
Far have the elders of Sodom fallen
'til darkness engulfed what reason remained.
Two angels are sent to visit that plain
for the final cleansing of the stain.
Lot sat at the gate with his spirit breaking
and his soul being vexed beyond bearing.
For the folly of men, too bold with words,
nothing withheld, led them to destruction.
With blindness are struck the sons of the night
as angels take the hands of the righteous
and led to safety are Lot and three souls,
then finally the fire to cleanse the site.
I wondered at the vexing of the soul
that wearied the heart of saintly Lot.
Yet over the years as I sat at the gate
of my own country, once proud and great,
I watched as well, as men with lesser motives
led each other to "carnal enlightenment"
'til the heart of the people became a reflection
of Sodom near the day of destruction.
Silently my soul bristles within
for common sense is replaced by false reason.
Satan's laughter rings in the halls of power
as the errors are visited on this generation.
Where now are the voices of reason and insight
to call a people to repentance and prayer?
While it's still day, before the waning light,
stand, stand, stand against the night!
Author: Joseph Raymond
10 August 2003