There is the strangest mixture of reverence and cheek in this story, and I absolutely love it. God is planning to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah—but He doesn’t just go ahead and do it. Instead, He deliberately stops at Abraham’s tent, and why? So that Abraham can try to talk Him out of it, apparently.
And that’s what Abraham does. Oh, he is reverent enough. He is always aware that he is talking to the Almighty God. But look what he does! He bargains God down. What about 50? What about 45? And so forth and so on, until he’s talked God down to ten people. He sounds like a used car dealer!
How can Abraham get away with this? The answer lies in intimacy. Abraham is a child in God’s family, and children can say things to their fathers that no outsider could ever say. And God welcomes it.
This is the kind of relationship God invites us into, as well. He is not looking for distant worshippers, people who are afraid to say “boo” to Him. He is looking for people who will trust Him as a child trusts a good father. This is why Jesus suffered, died, and rose again—so that all of us who trust Him may become children of God and live in this sort of love with Him.
WE PRAY: Dear Father, teach me to trust You and love You with this sort of closeness. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.
Reflection Questions:
1. Tell about a time when you said or did something to a friend or family member that outsiders would consider cheeky, but in your relationship, it was right.
2. Does God make you nervous? Why or why not?
3. Do you ever argue with God? Why or why not?