Can you imagine the opportunity to converse in person with the Lord? Abraham had just that opportunity. Instead of going into listen mode he instead asked the Lord questions, and even got into a bit of a negotiation with the Lord. You see the Lord told Abraham that He was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah if He could not find enough righteous people there, 50 to be exact. Abraham told the Lord that he couldn’t believe He would destroy the place if there righteous people there too. Would you be so bold as to talk this over with the Lord? Would you ask if He would be willing to spare such a place?
Many at our tables kept coming up with the fact that God gives grace and mercy, even when we don’t deserve it. He “wants” to forgive us, protect us, and spare us. In our quick trigger society we asked, “How can you be the calm voice in the crowd that is calling for someone’s job?” DG shared that a balance must be kept between grace and accountability. We all agreed.
We also shared that none of us deserve God’s grace and mercy but He gives it anyways when our hearts ask properly for it. One of the tables shared, paraphrasing, God says we are to ask and it shall be given unto us. Abraham asked of the Lord, but he also did it in humility and reverence. Abraham understood who he was talking to, but he also understood the Lord would listen. The take away here is that we too may speak with the Lord in confidence that He will listen. We also should ask humbly, and reverently, without demand. He tells us in his scripture to come to Him and ask. If He says that, then we should take Him up on the offer.