One of my highlights each week is leading our adult Sunday school class at church. It's actually kind of funny cause it's me (a presumptuous 27 year old) attempting to teach 3-5 wonderful ladies (none of whom are under the age of 55). To be honest it's been one of the most humbling experiences in my life.
Anyways, this past week we were looking at Abraham's conversation with God where God decides to tell Abraham of his plans to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham then goes back and forth with God asking God if he would spare the city if 40 or 30, or 10 people are found to be righteous. A few things stood out to me as we went through the passage.
1) It's really cool that God decided to tell Abraham his plans. God didn't have to do that....so he must have done so for Abraham's behalf. It makes me wonder if I'm close enough to God that he would consider telling me his plans.
2) God starts the conversation and then ends the conversation which I think that's pretty cool. I've often felt God prompting me to pray...but it's not very often I've felt God end the conversation.
3) I've always looked at this passage as Abraham bartering with God trying to convince God not to destroy the city. But I'm not so sure anymore. The study referred to a comment made by John White that Abraham's prayer "is not as some scholars suggest, a mere reflection of the bargaining practices among traders in th east. Abraham has nothing to offer in trade with God. More over the stakes are to high. He is not haggling with God. He's desperate to understand God." To understand God's sense of justice. To understand God's mercy. To see if God really is a righteous, fair God. And Abraham seems convince that God is not unjust or unfair and seems to leave the conversation in peace. As I think of how messed up the world is today...this passage does give me hope. That God will take care of things in a just/righteous way.
IF you have not read John White's book, I highly recommend doing so. IT is one of my very favorites:
ReplyDeleteDaring to Draw Near....IVP
He looks at several Bible stories from the perspective of that person's struggle to understand God.
A.C.D.
I like this post. :)
ReplyDeleteI agree, John White's book is an amazing read and shed's a lot of light on what it means to draw close into the presence of God. For those who haven't read it, John White highlights several biblical characters and the ways God drew them close (Abraham being one). I personally liked the book because it makes drawing close to God something attainable and available to anyone who claims to follow God.
ReplyDeleteAnother great read is James E. White's book Embracing the Mysterious God (http://www.ivpress.com/cgi-ivpress/book.pl/code=2377)
which echo's in many of the same ways John White does our continual struggle to understand a God who often act differently than we expect.