In the last couple of weeks I've seen more than one piece around the blogosphere about Sodom and Gomorrah. It seems to be on peoples' minds lately. Recently I taught a teenage Sunday school class on one of the texts neighboring to that. We're studying times in the Bible when God revealed himself directly to people; God revealed himself directly to Abraham just previous to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.
Does everyone remember that scene in the Bible where Abraham argues with God and bargains with God and haggles with God? Do you know what Abraham was trying to do? He was trying to save Sodom. He was praying for Sodom, begging for Sodom, pleading for Sodom. He did not ask for the wicked to be counted righteous. He asked that the city be spared ("forgiven" in some translations) because of the righteous people who lived there. Abraham was counted not only prophet, but also a friend of God.
I can't help but notice the contrast between Abraham and all the rest of us. Abraham did not excuse the wickedness of the city; he did not define one sin as greater and another as lesser; he did not exult over the bad guys getting blasted. He considered it his moral obligation to contend for what was right, and it made him bold before God.
I know there is a lot to be said about Sodom and Gomorrah, and most of us have already studied and taken notes. All I ask is that we add one mental image to that set of notes: the mental image of Abraham, from whom we all reckon our spiritual heritage, praying for Sodom ...
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3 comments:
And God, contending even morethan Abraham for what was right, answered his prayers, too! IF I find ten righteous... but He found none.
Anastasia
I find it interesting that God had sent his messengers to Lot even before Abraham's prayer. God was way ahead of him. The thing I find interesting about Abraham's prayer is as an example of a prayer of a righteous man.
On the CBE scroll, I read about Christian women being condemned by "Christian" men. We hear about "Christians" shouting hate at people with different sexual orientations. We hear about, not just war, but hateful things said about people with other religions, etc. in the countries where our troops are.
But both God and Abraham were looking for what was good, not condemning all because of a few.
Elsewhere, Jesus teaches to pray for our enemies. I would think that could also mean to pray for those we disagree with or regard with suspicion. And especially for those we "hate" or who hate us.
If remember that God created ALL on earth, it is easier to think of praying for ALL.
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