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PnF Reflections 11.8.09
Posted on Wednesday, August 12, 2009
PnF Reflections 11/8/09! on Genesis 18:16-33..
Jes:
Genesis 18:17-19
17 Then the LORD said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? 18 Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. 19 For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, so that the LORD will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him."
This part of the passage makes me ponder over one thing. Why will God think if He should hide from Abraham what He is about to do to Sodom? The other thing that caught me thinking is, why God, in the end, still revealed to Abraham the 'fate' of the city.
I see God's actions towards Abraham (telling him what was about to happen to Sodom), a test of Abraham's heart towards the people. A man God has chosen to direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just (v19) will have a heart like God for his people, even the ones who are going to be destoryed.
This brings me to a question, that is, what does it mean to have a heart for people? When we really know that people are facing an eternity without God what will this stir us to do? If we really can't do anything at all, did we at least pray? I reflected that a man (woman) after God's heart pray prayers that is really align to God's heartbeat. I learn that i need to not just pray, but pray confidently trusting that God is a merciful God. Abraham's conversation with God has reflected that he has confident how much God does not want to destory, but rather save. Therefore, this confidence He had in God also allowed Him to pray and ask God boldly. Are we confident as we pray today?
Li Yin:
Abraham didn't list out his conditions to God. Yes he prayed, he interceded for the people, but he left the outcome to Him and trusted Him to do what's right. He couldn't stop the men of Sodom from sinning. Likewise, we can't stop our friends or family members from rejecting God. These are some things that are out of our hands. BUT, like Abraham did, we can pray for them, we can ask God and believe by faith that God will move in their hearts. Abraham is mentioned in Hebrews 11:8-12, 17-19, because he lived by faith. His prayers showed him to be a person that trusts God for who He is and who believes by faith that God will do what He knows is right. Quoting from Adam Clarke, "Prayer has been termed the gate of heaven, but without faith that gate cannot be opened." Without faith it is impossible to please God. For Abraham, 6 times he interceded for the people. He prayed by faith, and in humility as well, and God answered his every petition. And God didn't stop promising to show mercy to them until Abraham stopped praying. Just wanna encourage all of us: continue to fear God, knowing Him to be holy and righteous, and keep praying for our friends, our relatives, people we don't even know. God will answer in His due time. I really need to be reminded of this too, to believe Him for the lives of the people around us. We can wait for a person to come to know God for 5 months and yes it's tough. But God has been waiting for that person to come back to Him ever since the fall of man. He longs for it much much more than we do! There's this story I read quite some time ago, about this woman who prayed for her mum for TWENTY years. After 5 years of praying, she asked herself: why am I still doing this? After 10 years, she wondered: is God really going to answer? After 15 years, she asked herself: why do I even bother? But she kept praying, and finally, after 20 years, her mum came to receive Christ. Her conclusion? "I will never doubt the power of prayer again." Mmm. =)
Shuning:
How many people have we saved today? Reading these verses, I'm reminded of the reason why I sow, the reason why I give my all in saving lives. :) and it puts a smile on my face. Knowing that no matter what difficulties I face, I will overcome them, and the rewards are sweet. And that keeps me going on. :)
Jes:
Genesis 18:17-19
17 Then the LORD said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? 18 Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. 19 For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, so that the LORD will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him."
This part of the passage makes me ponder over one thing. Why will God think if He should hide from Abraham what He is about to do to Sodom? The other thing that caught me thinking is, why God, in the end, still revealed to Abraham the 'fate' of the city.
I see God's actions towards Abraham (telling him what was about to happen to Sodom), a test of Abraham's heart towards the people. A man God has chosen to direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just (v19) will have a heart like God for his people, even the ones who are going to be destoryed.
This brings me to a question, that is, what does it mean to have a heart for people? When we really know that people are facing an eternity without God what will this stir us to do? If we really can't do anything at all, did we at least pray? I reflected that a man (woman) after God's heart pray prayers that is really align to God's heartbeat. I learn that i need to not just pray, but pray confidently trusting that God is a merciful God. Abraham's conversation with God has reflected that he has confident how much God does not want to destory, but rather save. Therefore, this confidence He had in God also allowed Him to pray and ask God boldly. Are we confident as we pray today?
Li Yin:
Abraham didn't list out his conditions to God. Yes he prayed, he interceded for the people, but he left the outcome to Him and trusted Him to do what's right. He couldn't stop the men of Sodom from sinning. Likewise, we can't stop our friends or family members from rejecting God. These are some things that are out of our hands. BUT, like Abraham did, we can pray for them, we can ask God and believe by faith that God will move in their hearts. Abraham is mentioned in Hebrews 11:8-12, 17-19, because he lived by faith. His prayers showed him to be a person that trusts God for who He is and who believes by faith that God will do what He knows is right. Quoting from Adam Clarke, "Prayer has been termed the gate of heaven, but without faith that gate cannot be opened." Without faith it is impossible to please God. For Abraham, 6 times he interceded for the people. He prayed by faith, and in humility as well, and God answered his every petition. And God didn't stop promising to show mercy to them until Abraham stopped praying. Just wanna encourage all of us: continue to fear God, knowing Him to be holy and righteous, and keep praying for our friends, our relatives, people we don't even know. God will answer in His due time. I really need to be reminded of this too, to believe Him for the lives of the people around us. We can wait for a person to come to know God for 5 months and yes it's tough. But God has been waiting for that person to come back to Him ever since the fall of man. He longs for it much much more than we do! There's this story I read quite some time ago, about this woman who prayed for her mum for TWENTY years. After 5 years of praying, she asked herself: why am I still doing this? After 10 years, she wondered: is God really going to answer? After 15 years, she asked herself: why do I even bother? But she kept praying, and finally, after 20 years, her mum came to receive Christ. Her conclusion? "I will never doubt the power of prayer again." Mmm. =)
Shuning:
How many people have we saved today? Reading these verses, I'm reminded of the reason why I sow, the reason why I give my all in saving lives. :) and it puts a smile on my face. Knowing that no matter what difficulties I face, I will overcome them, and the rewards are sweet. And that keeps me going on. :)
Labels: Our Reflections
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