Gen 18:27 Then Abraham answered and said, “Indeed now, I who am but dust and ashes have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord
Humility or Reality? Humility would be the first thought when we read this! I've always been amazed at a man of Abraham's stature and strength and wonder how humility was not just a virtue but a second nature to him! Maybe he meant something beyond humility here?
Isn't this the reality?
Gen 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.
After all creations are done, God could have picked something special, something extraordinary, something supernatural like a glowing cosmic particle to create man/mankind. But, he stopped down and picked up simple, lowly, dry dust of the ground.
Two things I perceive from this. One, God stooped down for the first time during creation for mankind. Second, what a wonderful precedence for Son of God, Jesus Christ the Messiah, not just stoop down but stepped down from heaven, lived a perfect life, die a vicarious death on the cross, resurrected and redeemed the mankind HE so loved/created.
With this thought, when you read Psalm 139, it means a whole lot different especially
Psalm 139:14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.
God made man with such great love that He breathed into him, made him in His own image in spite of His omniscience, knowing the things mankind would do! Do you know even today, after 1000s of years of scientific advancements, human body is the most wonderful and mysterious creation of all that God made for He loved him so much and crafted every cell in its place.
He called things that did not exist as though they did (Rom 4:17) seeing man, his future, his falling, his redemption, all in one panoramic view. Had we seen such an end to end view of humanity, we might have decided to abandon right away to avoid seeing the horrible things we see today. Yet, in His mercy and grace God stooped down at creation, stepped down in redemption to see us through! What a LOVING GOD we serve!
Maybe realizing this eternal LOVE of God is why Abraham called himself dust and ashes and interceded for Sodom (Gen 18). For a brother who deserted him, for a city cherishing and perishing in sin, Abraham pleaded as dust and ashes. Lot thought he took away the treasures of Abraham but seldom he knew that Abraham's treasure was elsewhere that Lot can never take. Abraham's heart was where his real treasure was, in GOD! Any wonder Abraham was called a friend of God (Matt 6:21)!
Dearly beloved, i your heart in the right place? If so, like Abraham, does your humility reflect in every action of our life? How cool would it be to a friend of God! Yes, he called us to be friends in John 15:15 -- Are you?
Happy Presidents day! Have a blessed day and week ahead.
Comments