Just Soil and Ash ... But

January 7 ... Genesis 18-19, Psalm 3, Luke 7

I'm torn today, just saying.  Luke's telling of the woman who anointed Jesus is one of my favorite passages and I love the boldness of the centurion who understood authority - especially the authority of Jesus - because he 'lived under authority, too.'

But, in the Common English translation, what grabs my attention first is Abraham's conversation with God.  Abraham makes two statements that, I believe, ought to be hallmarks for any Jesus follower:
Genesis 18:25 ..."It's not like you to do this ... It's not like you!"
Genesis 18:27b ... "... even though I'm just soil and ash, ..."

Just to establish the background, God has announced a plan to destroy Sodom and Abraham begins to engage God in conversation because of what he was hearing.

Abraham knew God well enough to know that the destruction of innocents along with those who are guilty was not God's M.O.  That simple statement gets me to thinking ... do I, do you know God well enough to know it's not like God to do this or it's JUST LIKE God to do that?  Have we paid enough attention to God within us and God around us to know that we know that we know ...
... God is always present, never leaves us.
... God loves us, period.
... God is merciful and gracious, watching out for us and providing just what we need.
... God in Christ is calling us to something bigger than we could ever do, know, be on our own.
... God in Christ expects that loving God means nothing without loving each other.

Abraham's statement is confirmation for himself AND for God that this relationship they share is real, lively, organic.  And, the very reason Abraham can make the second statement.  After all, he was talking with THE God of the Universe and, in a fairly bold way, letting God know that He couldn't/shouldn't act un-Godly like He was intending ...

Abraham knew that he was just soil and ash, that God was infinitely bigger.  Abraham knew, too, that he was potentially overstepping his bounds with God by challenging God's intent, as if A's opinion mattered.  Turns out, Abraham's thoughts, feelings, experience of God Himself, questions, hopes and dreams, fears, etc. DO matter to God.  Yours do, too.  And mine.  God , I believe, longs for us to be willing to be audacious - not disrespectful, now, but audacious YES - in our intimacy with God.  After all, prayer is not about changing God's heart and mind, but rather being open to understanding God's heart and mind (and, so, being changed because of it!).  I believe that God longs for us to trust Him and the relationship we share to the point that we will engage him like Abraham did.

So, I double-dog dare ya ... make your own short list of what you know (that you know that you know) about God.  Let that be your confidence when things - even those coming from God - seem squirrely.

Lord God, I want to know you, really know you. Even more, I want that confident knowledge to deepen our relationship.  Thank you already for revealing yourself to me.  Teach me to trust what I see, hear, and know of you.  In Christ, let it be. 

In order for me to grow in my undeniable knowledge of God, I must yield my fear, pride, and pretense to let God closer still (trusting that He will love me period) and, then, walk by faith.