PODCAST
God Listens and Responds
September 17th, 2018
Genesis 18:16-28
Parents, and those who spend time with children, may have observed the “bedtime negotiation.” A child, sensing bedtime is imminent, may go to great lengths to delay the moment. Perhaps a child requests another drink of water or yet another bedtime story. This is what immediately comes to mind when reading about Abraham talking to God about Sodom. Though Abraham’s techniques may be a bit more sophisticated, there is a sense in which a child (Abraham) is negotiating with a parent (God). However, the most remarkable thing about this conversation is not the negotiation itself; rather it is the fact that God is present with Abraham. Abraham asks, and God answers! How many people have longed to have a relationship this immediate with God? Abraham knows and trusts God enough to make the request.
God has not stopped being present or retreated into the distance. Instead, God sent Jesus to be present with us (John 1:14), and Jesus ensured that the Holy Spirit would be with us. We can speak to God with the confidence of a child to a parent!
Author: Amy Rice
