Genesis 18-20
Today's passage started off with Abraham hanging out in his tent. Visitors stopped by his tent to once again tell Abraham that he will have a son in a year. My favorite part of this is that Sarah overheard this and laughed. Wouldn't you at her age? The other part I like is that the guests ask Abraham why Sarah is laughing (even though she is not out there with them). God knows. He knows what Sarah was doing, He knows what we do. We talk about that a lot with our kids. :) Even better, Sarah denies that she was laughing. Reminds me of the child who I catch red handed telling me that they were not doing anything they weren't supposed to be. Busted!
The next part of the passage involved the famous Sodom and Gomorrah. God is looking at those cities shaking his head and saying "Evil. Evil. Evil." So He decides to destroy them. Of course, not by a flood. He promised He wouldn't do that again. Just by fire this time.
Abraham starts negotiating with God. He starts off with asking God if there are 50 righteous people in S and G whether God will not destroy it. God agrees. Then Abraham starts negotiating...down. His last "offer"? 10. Surely there are 10 righteous people. God agrees. 10 righteous people and He won't destroy them.
The next thing you know the visitors are making their way to S and G. Why? To save Lot, Abraham's nephew. Why? Because S and G is going down in flames.
Kind of sad, huh? God couldn't find 10 righteous people. 10. Not 50. Just 10.
I could say a lot about the visitors' encounter with Lot. Like how evil S and G really seemed to be. Or how Lot (in attempt to save his visitor's from the lusts of the city's men) offered up his daughters instead.
But the part I remember from this story more than any?
Lot's wife.
What happened to her?
The visitors told Lot and his family to get out of Dodge. Or rather S and G. And to NOT look back.
Really, we should do that in our lives, right?
When we decide we are going to follow Him, we need to look at Him, NOT look back.
Easier said than done.
That is why I have always had a special place in my heart for Lot's wife. Here they are running from their home which is being destroyed by fire and brimstone. And what does she do? What do we always do? You know the whole elephant in the room thing? Tell a child to not touch something. What does he/she do? That is what happened. She turned around and looked. And she turned into a pillar of salt.
I kind of feel for her.
I would hope that I would be obedient. It is my hope to be in life, to obey His commands. But I am afraid that I would be, could be Lot's wife. Well, not married to him. But the one turning around to get one last look. I might have been salt.
Lastly in the passage, there is Abraham. And he is up to to his old tricks. He is telling people that his dear wife Sarah is just his sister. And once again, a king and his people are punished for taking in Sarah wen they are the ones who have been deceived.
Still don't quite get that.
Maybe the Hebrew or the Greek versions explain this concept more.
Maybe not.
Either way, God still counted Abraham as righteous. And that gives me hope! Maybe even though I struggle with things in life, I still can be counted as a righteous daughter.
Reba
Tomorrow's reading:
Genesis 21-23
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