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Health & Fitness

Bargaining With God

"Wait a minute!...Are you guys going to raid that house with his kids in there? You wouldn't risk those precious kids' lives to catch dope dealers, WOULD YOU?"

Everybody knows about that house.  You, along with your neighbors, have had your suspicions ever since the new occupants moved in.  Many attempts were made to welcome them to the neighborhood.  The Smiths brought them cookies and the Johnsons tried to invite them over for dinner.  But, each time the recalcitrant inhabitants of that house didn’t even bother to answer the door. 

We’re not talking about a rush to judgment on the part of some busybody neighbors.  This is not a case of someone not hearing the doorbell ring.  When the Smiths and the Johnsons knocked on the screen door, the front door was open.  People were within plain view and the lights were on.  The mysterious occupants looked at them as they stood at their door and simply ignored them.

Something strange was going on in that house.  Nobody was ever seen outside, not even to mow the lawn.  A local landscaper handles it for them, but he says they hardly ever talk to him.  It doesn’t matter if you’re walking your dog in the morning, riding bikes with your kids in the afternoon or taking a late evening jog, their blinds are always drawn.

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But, it was the cars that gave it away.  Nobody that unfriendly enjoys that much company.  Vans, trucks and expensive cars sporting license plates from every state in the Northeast frequented that house at all hours.  Furthermore, they never stayed for very long. 

This went on for months.  The neighbors all speculated.  But, there was nothing to go on until your cousin Bill moved in.  His life has been a disappointing one.  He never capitalized on his brains or his brawn.  The only thing this former honor student and All-State athlete picked up at college was an addiction.  So, Bill, fresh out of rehab, has crashed at your house in his latest attempt to put his life back together.  He’s landed at your place because his wife won’t let him move back home with her and their two young children.

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Bill swears things are different this time.  He’s committed to staying sober and reuniting with his family.  His wife slowly comes around.  Soon, she begins to bring the kids along as well.  Eventually, she trusts Bill enough to leave them with him for a few hours so she can run some errands.  Bill passes the time away with them playing out in the front yard and walking them around the neighborhood.

Before long, Bill’s walks with the kids get longer and longer.  You inquire about the reason for the increased duration, but his answers are vague and unconvincing.  Finally, your suspicions prove to be warranted when a police officer friend of yours knocks on the door.

“Is your cousin Bill living with you?”, asks your friend.

“Yeah.  Why?”, you respond.

“Is he home?”

“Yeah…No…He’s walking the kids in the neighborhood.  Is he in trouble?  I knew he was back to using again!”, you declare hotly.

“That’s the least of his worries.  He’s not just using.  He’s dealing and he’s linked up with some big time dealers….They live just down the street from you,” says your friend the officer.

“Why are you telling me this?,” you demand.

“We’re raiding that house in 10 minutes and I have every reason to believe Bill’s in there.”

“Aren’t you off duty?  You’re not in uniform.”

“I am undercover and this is the biggest raid this town’s ever seen,” whispers the officer.

“Wait a minute!  Bill’s got the kids in there!  Are you guys going to raid that house with his kids in there?  Can’t you just wait until he’s there alone?   You wouldn’t risk those precious kids’ lives to catch dope dealers, WOULD YOU?”

Perhaps, you can now begin to understand how Abraham must have felt when God told him He was going to wipe out the neighboring cities of Sodom and Gomorrah for their wickedness.  As Abraham digests this news, his thoughts immediately turn to his nephew Lot and the city’s other righteous inhabitants.  

In Genesis 18:16-33, Abraham bargains with God in an effort to spare the righteous from being included in God’s righteous judgment on these wicked cities.  This story begs the question, is God more just than righteous Abraham?

This article is an excerpt of this Sunday's sermon in my series in Genesis.  All are welcome to join us for worship every Sunday at 10:30 am.  is located at 22 Pequot Trail in Pawcatuck.

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