I'm doing quite well right now. Thanks to all of my wonderful friends who sent me emails of encouragement and were willing to just talk with me when I needed it most. I do look forward to returning to Cleveland for the rest of the semester and just enjoying the time that I have before school starts (no more traveling...hopefully =P).
So I was doing my quiet time in Daniel 9:1-19 last week and one of the application questions was: If Christ were to visit you today, what would you expect him to say in your home? to your church? to your nation?
For some reason, I started thinking about what Jesus would say if He visited the U.S. today...and it made me think of Genesis 18:16-33. Abraham is having this one-on-one conversation with God (Wow...oh to be THAT close to God...) and pleading for Sodom and Gomorrah. First, he asks God, [paraphrased] "well, what if there are 50 righteous people in the city? Will you still destroy it?" and God says, no, He won't destroy it if there are 50 righteous people in the city. Abraham (boldly! in my opinion) continues to lower the number from 50 to 45 to 40 to 30 to 20 to 10. I find this whole exchange quite relevant to my QT question. Firstly, this conversation between God and Abraham illuminated the fact that God didn't actually desire to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah...even if there are only 10 righteous people in the whole ENTIRE city, He would still choose not to destroy. What patience, endurance, and love! It shows that the only reason this city wouldn't be destroyed would be because of God's love, mercy, and grace...not because of any one person's (or a few hundred persons'...the number doesn't matter) righteousness. On the other hand, it showed the fullness of the wickedness that was in those cities for not even 10 righteous people could be found...
The whole situation made me think of the US and how both Christians and non-Christians in the US, think we are doing ok or well as a nation...we think we can be characterized as pretty good people overall, in which "good" can become a synonym for "righteousness"...and so we become complacent which leads to evils and atrocities creeping into our society right under our noses. As Christians, that has especially grievous applications for us because then, as it says very clearly in all of Ezek. 33, we will have failed our job as a watchman...which has very strong consequences.
I thought of Abraham starting out with 50...why 50? Well, I think, as people, (something I'm totally guilty of as well), we tend to overestimate our righteousness. So, perhaps Abraham's thought process went like this: "People can't be that bad down there in Sodom and Gomorrah...I'll start with 50....that's not a whole lot to ask for from such a big city.
Well, hmm...God's standard for righteousness is pretty high so maybe it's more like 45. Or 40.
Gosh, I do remember some stories that Lot was telling me...soo, maybe it's more like 30.
Well, to be on the safe side...maybe 20...
Alright alright...you want a more realistic expectation for this city (or for people in general)? let's go for 10."
Today, if God told me that He planned to destroy the US, I would find myself in Abraham's shoes, pleading for America and I would probably go through the same exact thought process as he did. Surely, we have 50 righteous people in America (I mean, come on, we're Christians!) Well, realistically...maybe 10? And yet, because of sin's deceitfulness (Heb 3:13), it has hardened our hearts so we refuse to admit to ourselves that the number is 10 (or less) and see our unrighteousness as a nation . I say "we" because this nation is my people (though I used to struggle with identity occasionally) and so when this nation suffers, I suffer as well...
So when disaster falls upon this nation, we should not be surprised...though I refuse to stop pleading for America nor will I stop doing my job as a watchman for my people...at least until the day of disaster comes.
On a side note: I think the beginning of Genesis 18 is rather humorous...especially v.10-16. I always laugh when I picture the scene. lol...I laugh, not to poke fun, but rather, I can TOTALLY picture that happening to anyone.
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