your great love

This morning, I read first, in Genesis 17 and 18, the story of God’s visit to Abram, in which he changed Abram’s name to Abraham, Sarai’s name to Sarah, and promised them a son of their own. God also tells Abraham of his plans to destroy Sodom, and Abraham pleads for that city.

Then, following our church's Bible reading plan, I read Psalm 5. In the context of Abraham’s lack of an heir and God’s righteous response to the wickedness of Sodom, I was struck by verses 3-7, which say this:

“In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice;

in the morning I lay my requests before you

and wait expectantly.

For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness;

with you, evil people are not welcome.

The arrogant cannot stand

in your presence.

You hate all who do wrong;

you destroy those who tell lies.

The bloodthirsty and deceitful

you, Lord, detest.

But I, by your great love,

can come into your house;

in reverence I bow down

toward your holy temple.”

These verses are uncompromising in their description of God’s abhorrence of evil, which connects in obvious ways to Sodom. But verse 3 could almost be words from Abraham, laying before God his desire for a son, and pleading with God for the city where his nephew lives. It’s one of those interesting juxtapositions that I would never have seen without this particular reading assignment.

Verse 7 is especially striking, because I identify that not just with God’s intimate visit to Abraham, but also with myself. That verse feels exactly like my relationship with God. What an amazing thing that I am invited to approach God when I’m barely less wicked than those he wants to destroy! All by his great love.

Of course, that’s the part of this passage that points me back to Jesus. God’s wrath should fall like fire on my head, just as it did in Sodom. But instead God loves me and cherishes me as a son. How can that be? Only because of the blood of Jesus.

I’ve said it so often here, but it needs to be said again: Hallelujah! What a Savior!