Dust and Ashes

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

DUST AND ASHES

Gen 18:27-33

27 Then Abraham spoke up again: "Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes, 28 what if the number of the righteous is five less than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city because of five people?" "If I find forty-five there," he said, "I will not destroy it." 29 Once again he spoke to him, "What if only forty are found there?" He said, "For the sake of forty, I will not do it." 30 Then he said, "May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak. What if only thirty can be found there?" He answered, "I will not do it if I find thirty there." 31 Abraham said, "Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, what if only twenty can be found there?" He said, "For the sake of twenty, I will not destroy it." 32 Then he said, "May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?" He answered, "For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it." 33 When the LORD had finished speaking with Abraham, he left, and Abraham returned home.

NIV

First, Abraham considered himself nothing but dust and ashes; then he asked that the LORD not be angry with him, as he asked for if there were only thirty. Then Abraham was bold, asking if only twenty could be found. Then he asked once more that the LORD would not be angry with him, as he asked to speak just once more, asking if only ten were found. Each time the Lord consented to the number Abraham was asking about, all the way from fifty to ten. But the conversation stopped because the LORD had finished speaking with Abraham; he left, and Abraham returned home. The implication is that the LORD left Abraham's presence. The LORD listened to the concerns of Abraham. The Lord did not tell Abraham that I Am the LORD God and I will do whatever I decide, which is to go down and destroy the whole city of Sodom, as well as Gomorrah. The LORD listened to Abraham. Yes, the Lord is Sovereign; his plan is always his plan, and his plan will always be accomplished. Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed, but the LORD saved Lot and his family, apparently the only righteous, less the ten, in the city. How do we apply this truth to our lives? Although we know the Lord is God, the creator of heaven and earth, the one who gives us life, and that he is the Almighty Sovereign God, he is always willing to listen to our concerns. He is always willing to be with us, to be in our presence; although we should say, allow us to be in his presence, yet the LORD showed up in the presence of Abraham as he sat in front of his tent. When the LORD wants to speak to us, he will; we just need to listen, and whenever we hear his voice, we should bow low before him. Sometimes we think we have become too friendly or too familiar,  too casual with God. Abraham did not speak as if he was friendly with the LORD, but with reverence and fear, realizing he was only dust and ashes, just a man, formed by the hand of God. When God shows us, and he will, let us speak with fear and trembling, but then listen, for we are but dust and ashes and He is the Almighty Lord God.