Standing in God's Way

Genesis 18 is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible. It is just chock full of humor and life stories. My kind of application chapter!

So in verses 20-21 God decides He is going to take the issues of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah's sin into consideration. He says to Abraham:

God continued, "The cries of the victims in Sodom and Gomorrah are deafening; the sin of those cities is immense. I'm going down to see for myself, see if what they're doing is as bad as it sounds. Then I'll know."

Genesis 18:20-21

Now, here is where it gets good...and if you have a sense of humor with the Bible like I do, it also gets a bit humorous. You see God is going to put Sodom and Gomorrah in check. It is like a mother who can hear her sons outside arguing. She is trying to make supper, yet from the yard, through the kitchen window, she can hear angry confrontations, whining shouts, and just down-right ugliness coming out of the mouths of her children. She wipes her hands on her apron, drops the potatoes she was peeling, and heads for the door: ready to do nothing less than address this sin.

But you see, here stands little sis. She has her hands on her hips, her head cocked to the side, and her mouth ready to plead with her angry mother. She knows her brothers are in for it. She blocks the doorway. She stands in the way.

The men set out for Sodom, but Abraham stood in God's path, blocking his way.

Genesis 18:22

Abraham tried to pull the same stunt with God. He stood in God's path. He was going to come to the defense of Sodom and Gomorrah. And although I may be reading into it a bit, Abraham was going to test God a bit. He wanted to see what the answer would be. Abraham was wondering, "Hmmm...what are God's boundaries? What will push His buttons? What are his motives for this discipline?"

Abraham confronted him, "Are you serious? Are you planning on getting rid of the good people right along with the bad? What if there are fifty decent people left in the city; will you lump the good with the bad and get rid of the lot? Wouldn't you spare the city for the sake of those fifty innocents? I can't believe you'd do that, kill off the good and the bad alike as if there were no difference between them. Doesn't the Judge of all the Earth judge with justice?"

Genesis 18:23-25

I love how The Message version says it, "Are you serious?"   Abraham was wondering what in the world was God was thinking.  He was thinking, "Really, is he really going to kill them all? Is he really going to follow through?"

I think he also must have been crying out on behalf of the people in the cities. He knew what they were about to get: the wrath of God. He knew this wasn't going to be a good outcome for them. He knew they needed someone to plead on their behalf. And the cool part is that he wasn't afraid to approach God.

It is the same as the little sis standing in the doorway. She knows that her brothers have no earthly idea what is about to come through that door.  She knows as she hears the arguing, the fighting outside, that her brothers are completely unaware that their mother is about to come out and unleash on them! And, you know, this little girl is also testing her mother's limits. Finding out what the boundaries are....

"But Mom, what if it isn't their fault? You know, that neighbor boy is hard to play with. And, hey, what if only one of them is in the wrong? Then what? Will you take away the Wii anyway, even if only one is wrong? Huh-Mom? Huh?"

I am wondering when the last time was that I really went to bat for someone else in front of God. When is the last time I stood at the door, arms crossed, not afraid to put myself between them and God. I am not talking about just saying a little 10 second prayer, "Dear Lord, please bless Lucy."; "Dear God, please heal Dad."; "Dear Lord, please help Tina." No, I mean really STOOD IN GOD'S WAY on their behalf! Got on my knees, cried out to God, questioned His motives, questioned His plan, and PLEADED on the behalf of someone else? 

This is what Abraham is doing. Can't you just see him pleading and begging to God? Questioning God's motives. Questioning God's plan for the people in the cities! Whining and even maybe shedding tears on their behalf. He is like the kid hanging onto their mother's shin, as she is about to walk out the door and unleash WWIII on her brothers, "Mom, Pleeeeeeaaaassseee...don't go out there and spank them!" 

I can't think of a time that I really, truly have done that...hmmm...maybe tonight will be the first....

...on my knees in Pella....

how about you????