Day 8

Genesis 18:16–19:38; Matthew 6:25–7:14; Psalm 8:1-9; Proverbs 2:6-15

IN OUR OLD TESTAMENT reading today, we witnessed the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. God came and verified for Himself the evil reputation of the civilizations in the Jordan valley, and He did not let their sin stand.

But as devastating as the scene is, we find amazing beauty in how God engages with Abraham here. Abraham’s nephew Lot was among those living in the valley, and God first asked, “Should I hide my plan from Abraham?” (Genesis 18:17). Was this a rhetorical question? Why would God ask if He didn’t want to share His heart? And why would He want to share His heart if He didn’t want Abraham to know it?

A conversation ensued in which Abraham asked God if He would spare the towns if fifty righteous people were present. Then forty-five. Then forty. Then thirty. Then twenty. Then ten. What’s beautiful about this exchange is that God was willing to have the conversation. As Abraham continued to negotiate lower numbers, God’s response revealed the truth: God wasn’t interested in indiscriminately causing destruction. The presence of the righteous could certainly hold off the judgment people were bringing on themselves. But sadly, not even ten righteous people were there.

Meanwhile, Jesus spoke intimately about our daily lives. His words in today’s reading alone offer us another penetrating look in the mirror and an example of what it looks like to be one who follows Jesus.

Jesus instructed us clearly not to worry about what we’ll eat or what we’ll wear. “Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?” He asked (Matthew 6:27). “Don’t worry about tomorrow. . . . Today’s trouble is enough for today” (Matthew 6:34).

As encouraging as these words are, though, Jesus’ teachings became more sobering: “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged” (Matthew 7:1-2). In other words, all those reactionary assumptions and opinions we form about others is the standard by which our lives will be measured.

In the end, Jesus tied all that He was saying into an attitude we must cultivate and live into if we want to find a life of wholeness, become Christlike, and know God:

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. . . . Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets. You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. . . . The gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.

Knowing and following God is a choice —a difficult one, because it requires utter vigilance and awareness of what is going on around us, and all our heart, mind, and strength. But nevertheless, the choice is ours. May we be one of the few who find the narrow path that leads to life.

MEDITATION:

What are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? Yet you made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor.