Thought for August 27

 History:

  • 1883: Krakatoa erupts killing 36,000. Earth's temperature drops for a year.
  • 1953: Roman Holiday released
  • 1995: Guinness Book of World Records first published
  • 1964: Mary Poppins premiers
  • 2004: Argentina upsets USA in Olympic basketball
  • 2008: Barack Obama nominated for President
  • 2020: Hurricane Laura hits Louisiana
  • Born: Charles Rolls [Rolls Royce], Ed Gein [serial killer], Lyndon Johnson, Martha Raye, Tuesday Weld, Barbara Bach, Pee-wee Herman, Bernhard Langer, Breanna Stewart, 
  • Died: John Russell Pope [architect Jefferson Memorial], WEB Du Bois, Gracie Allen, Greg Morris [Mission Impossible], Lute Olson, 
Tomorrow is the anniversary of the death of St. Augustine of Hippo.

Thought:
Yesterday, I looked at the rhetorical question, "Is anything too difficult for the Lord?" Today, I am thinking about another question posed in chapter 18 of Genesis--Will You [God] sweep away the righteous with the wicked.  .  .  . Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?" [18:23, 25] The story is the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah. Three men have come to Abram, one of them the pre-incarnate Christ. Sarai and Abraham have been promised a son in a year and now the two angels are headed to Sodom to verify the wickedness there. Lot lives in Sodom and Abraham starts a conversation with the Lord about the judgment on Sodom. All of us have read the story and heard it preached. Abraham finally hears the Lord say that if there are just 10 righteous men in Sodom, the city will be spared. As we know, only Lot was found righteous, and the city was destroyed because of the lack of righteous men. What do I understand from this story and the questions posed to the Lord?

  • God sees the conduct of men--their hearts and their actions. That is a sobering thought. God sees and hears every thought, every attitude, every word. God is aware of the wickedness going on in our world.  Notice that the "outcry" of Sodom and Gomorrah is great. It's like the wickedness rises like a loud voice all the way to the ears of God. We know that the prayers of the righteous rise up before the Lord like the fragrant aroma of a holy sacrifice. It may be that the stench of the wickedness rises up with an unholy odor. So today, when we see a bad situation, we say, that stinks. 
  • God will judge. We sometimes look around and wonder why the evildoers seem to prosper, why injustice seems to win. But we are confident that the day will come when God will judge. Jesus has told us that there will be a judgment, the sheep and goats will be separated. The righteous and unrighteous will be sent to different eternities. You might read Psalm 37 this morning--do not fret because of evildoers--don't envy their prosperity because they will be broken. Or read Psalm 73where God again warns us about envying the wicked because they will ultimately suffer a terrible fate.
  • God will judge justly. While the righteous may suffer in this life, Jesus will make all things right. He came as Savior, but He will come as Judge. He came as the Lamb of God, He will come as the Lion of Judah.
  • God is patient and merciful. God is willing to withhold judgment to protect the righteous and give opportunity to the wicked to repent. Here, God was willing to spare the wicked rather than hurt the righteous. 
  • God rescues the righteous before destroying the wicked. God provided a way of escape for Lot. Sounds like the rapture perhaps. But in any event, in Christ God has provided the only way to avoid the wrath of God to be poured out on all wickedness. Jesus is the Savior and in Him we have eternal life. I sing, "He will make a way where there seems to be no way. He works in ways we cannot see, He will make a way for me."
This story should motivate me to share the Good News--the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah is nothing compared to the eternal wrath of God. There is only one way of escape and His name is Jesus. Lord, help me find someone to tell the Good News today.  And this story forces me to ask a question--if the angels came today, would they find 10 righteous men? Would I be one of them? God continues to look for those who would follow Him. 

Blessings
Larry

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