Daily Devotion: God's Compassion and Love

Scripture:
Genesis 18: 16-33

Main Verse:
Genesis 18:32
Then he said, "May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten [righteous people] can be found there?" He answered, "For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it."

Observation:
When the Lord told Abraham that He will destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham decided to speak with the Lord to see whether the Lord would grant his plea. He wanted Sodom and Gomorrah to be spared from God's wrath, so He asked if the Lord would not destroy the place if He finds 50, 40, 30, 20 or 10 righteous people. We can see the goodness of the Lord. Abraham's last request with God was if He ever finds 10 righteous people, He will not destroy the city. But we know what happened to Sodom and Gomorrah--not a single soul was spared because the Lord had not found at least 10 righteous people in the place. It is disheartening to know that the entire city was completely eradicated because the Lord found no one worth saving.

Application:
What do we learn about God's character during Abraham's conversation with Him? First, we know that God listens to His children. If we want God to perform miracles, we can talk with Him and tell Him our requests. The Lord "listens to the godly person who does his will"
(John 9:31). Second, the Lord our God is a gracious and compassionate God. He is "slow to anger and rich in love" (Psalms 145:8). If He finds someone righteous worth saving, He will save this person from His wrath. Third, yes, the Lord is a gracious and loving God, but He is also a just God. "The Lord is slow to anger but great in power; the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished" (Nahum 1:3). When we do not admit that we have sinned, God's judgment will fall upon us. It's up to us to decide whether we want to feel God's graciousness and love, or His wrath and punishment. I hope we choose the paths we traverse wisely.

Prayer:
Lord, your love is boundless and your power is infinite. I praise and worship you and I am truly blessed to know that the God that I serve is a just God. You are pleased with your people who follow your will. I pray that you continue to guide my path so I can walk in righteousness. Let me experience your graciousness, your compassion, your love, and your faithfulness all the days of my life. AMEN.