Abraham Barters With God for the Souls of Sodom
Or
How to Argue With God and Come Out Ahead
Am I proposing that Abraham really came out ahead in this discussion? Did Abraham “win†this debate with God concerning the potential deliverance of the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah? Not hardly, but what I would like to proffer forth is the idea that, because God was so convinced of Abraham’s righteousness and faith, Abraham was allowed to bargain, haggle, and negotiate with God. Abraham and God held an intense discussion regarding who would live, who would die, and how Abraham wanted God to save everyone.
“Abraham does not doubt the existence of God’s justice; he only asks its extent and limitations. The important thing is that he asks altogether and that God does not reject his question out of hand. The Bible thereby makes clear that man may, with impunity, question the behavior of God. Like Abraham, man need not surrender his own sense of justice; he remains free to accept or reject the divine judgment – although he will have to submit to it in the end. Man is not reduced to a moral automaton; his spiritual freedom is preserved.†(Plaut, p133)
Now, I was raised in a church culture that very much believed that only those people who are absolutely snow-white pure in their righteousness and faithfulness will be allowed to talk directly to God. God would listen only to those people who toed the appropriate set of lines, followed all of the rules, never sinned, always believed, and lived seemingly perfect lives. And the sad thing is that similar beliefs aren’t confined to the denomination in which I grew up. Many different wings of a variety of denominations (and non-denominations) propagate such unhealthy lines of thinking, whether through “health & wealth†teaching or through isolationist and overly-exclusionist doctrines of salvation.
Read the rest of this entry »
Comments
He rushed up to the door,
banged upon it,
tried to knock it down.
His knees crashed to the floor,
hands to eye sockets,
as again he’s thrown himself to the ground.
Frantically waiting
is his S.O.P.,
coupled with an outburst at the peak
Of a mania that’s fleeting.
He has no peace;
he’s doing his best to merely believe.
But up he rises again,
a bit bruised up,
eyes all red, hurting, wet, and sore.
Then he gives the merest grin,
hands a-tremble,
trying to find his center once more.
The door starts beating,
quite quietly,
fear strikes his sensitive nape.
The boards now squeaking,
his heart a-thump,
tongue wagging, his mouth all agape.
The walls closing tightly,
pupils all wide,
feet frozen with no idea of what to do.
Seeing is believing,
or so he’s thought,
although he’s learning it’s not always true.
APN
Copyright 04/24/2006
Comments
Abraham & Sarah’s Three Visitors
Or
Proof-Positive That God Really is a Mind Reader
“Once again, this story shows what a scandal and difficulty faith is. Faith is not a reasonable act which fits into the normal scheme of life and perception. The promise of the gospel is not a conventional piece of wisdom that is easily accommodated to everything else. Embrace of this radical gospel requires shattering and discontinuity.†(Brueggemann; p158-159)
And this is how I wish to begin with this lesson – restating and revisiting the story of Abraham and Sarah that we’ve been studying and telling over the past few months. In each of the 6 previous chapters, God found various ways to communicate with Abraham and Sarah directly regarding their status as progenitors of a great race, despite their advanced age. However, in most of those 6 chapters, they were continually confronted because of their disbelief in God’s promises. As I like to say – “Welcome to Human Nature 101†– Abraham and Sarah are just like all of us. While most, if not all of us, are ever called to sire a whole race of people, we all consistently resist God’s pull on our lives because it conflicts with our plans and how we see the world. Let us continue our journey with this couple.
Read the rest of this entry »
Comments
Hello, faithful readers. Welcome to another installment of this blog’s commemoration of “Another Great Event in the History of American Foreign Policy!” As usual, a brief recounting is provided here with links to other sites whose scope and availability of information is more extensive than mine. Besides, why would I want to summarize the great content present at these sources just to placate your laziness? Go read!
And now, the news….
Read the rest of this entry »
Comments
Easter Benediction
upon Golgotha
(where the trees hung still)
our heads slumped and swayed
to three strikes and a jab,
yes, they nailed Him down
pierced, and crowned
this unruly king of the Jews.
orphans of light
you gather tomb-side, teary-eyed calling:
Read the rest of this entry »
Comments
