Remembered

DEVOTION

GENESIS

REMEMBERED

Gen 19:27-29

27 Early the next morning Abraham got up and returned to the place where he had stood before the LORD. 28 He looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah, toward all the land of the plain, and he saw dense smoke rising from the land, like smoke from a furnace. 29 So when God destroyed the cities of the plain, he remembered Abraham, and he brought Lot out of the catastrophe that overthrew the cities where Lot had lived.

NIV

This must have been high country as he could look over the valley or plains and see what the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were once. This was the place he had walked with the Lord to and where he had petitioned the Lord regarding not destroying these cities if there were but ten righteous in them. There were not ten, not even six, as Lot’s sons in law must not have been righteous, and his wife, of course disobeyed about not looking back. This left Lot and his two daughters, but knowing what is ahead regarding those two daughters, we might suspect their righteousness as well, which left Lot. Yet God would have spared them all, the whole family of Lot, on account of Abraham. There is much we could say about the incestuous act of these two daughters and the nations which became of their offspring, and ultimately became enemies of the Israelites. But we will save all that for that portion of the narrative. Here we can focus on the saving of Lot on account of Abraham. When God destroyed those cities he remembered Abraham and he brought Lot out of the catastrophe. Is it possible that people can be saved from catastrophes because of our faith and love for them? Is it possible that if we petition the Lord for members of our family, God will save them because he remembers us? Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness.  We are credited as righteous because we are in Christ, as he is our righteousness.

1 Cor 1:30-31

30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God — that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.   31 Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."  

NIV

We can certainly not boast about our righteousness in the flesh, but being in Christ we are in fact seen as righteous by the Lord. Therefore as with Abraham, God remembers us. Our family may find refuge in our faith. That sounds a bit strange, but the point is that because of our faith in Christ, God hears our petitions. Abraham petitioned the Lord because he knew a portion of his family would perish if he did not ask God to save him. We have the ability to petition God for our family, for those who would perish in the coming catastrophe. What we know about Lot from our past encounters with him, may or may not indicate he was also a man of faith as Abraham was. Yet the Lord spared him on account of Abraham. Will the Lord spare our family members on account of our faith? It would seem so, as long as we petition him regarding them. Do they have to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior in order to be spared? This seems to be the single point for all to be saved. Yet with what we know about Lot, he was spared and as we see here, not because of his own doing, but because of Abraham. So then can we find solace in the fact God will remember us regarding our petitions for our family members? It might well be so. Yet as with Abraham, we need to make that petition as well as be that person of faith. We first must be born again. We must have that intimate relationship with the Lord, as Abraham did. As we are in Christ we have the confidence.

1 John 5:13-15

13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us — whatever we ask — we know that we have what we asked of him.

NIV

This is the confidence Abraham had in his approaching God regarding Lot. This is the confidence we can have in approaching God regarding our family members. We know it is God will that all be saved, that none should perish.

2 Peter 3:9

9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish , but everyone to come to repentance.

NIV

Therefor we can know without doubt that it is God’s will that every member of our family be saved and not perish. So we can come to him on behalf of our family and he will remember us in dealing with them. Whether he brings about their salvation through their turning to him, repenting, or he simply shows them mercy on our account, we can know he hears us and remembers us in his dealing with them. Just to know God remembers us is awesome. To be remembered.