In mythology there is the story of Sisyphus who was punished by having to roll a boulder up a hill for eternity only to have it roll back down on him as he neared the top. In the morning after I have studied a Chapter of the Bible, and read my devotionals, I spend the best part of my day in conversation with God in prayer. After praying, I let my mind be still and thoughts form as connections are gently brought forth and I am in no doubt of Who it is who guides me.

Slowing down to glean understanding when you read a Chapter in the Bible opens up discovery. Genesis 18 is filled with wonder. The Lord appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground. v. 1-2. I say this a lot, but can you imagine what that was like? Abraham hurried to have food, water to wash their feet, drink to refresh them and they allowed that and ate.

The Lord told Abraham that Sarah will have a son when He returns this time next year and Sarah listening close by laughed to herself, just as Abraham did before. An interesting conversation followed: Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.” Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.” But he said, “Yes, you did laugh.” v. 13-15. Is anything too hard for the Lord and is anything kept secret from the Lord when we lie? I can well imagine why Sarah felt the need to lie to protect herself but that was so unnecessary. The Lord didn’t punish her, He just affirmed what He knew she did. And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise. And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore. Hebrews 11:11-12. She may have laughed but Sarah was counted among the list of the faithful in Hebrews. Can you imagine what she must have thought and experienced after her encounter with the Lord?

A remarkable conversation followed between Abraham and the Lord. “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.” v. 16-19.

The Lord stayed talking with Abraham as the two angels continued on toward Sodom. The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah was so great and their sin so grievous, that the Lord was going to see if it was true. Abraham then began to question the Lord if they would be destroyed if 50, then 45, then 40, then 30, then 20, then 10 righteous people could be found…and Abraham makes a bold statement…Far be it from you! Will not the judge of all the earth do right? v. 25. He answered, “For the sake of the ten, I will not destroy it.” v. 32. There were not 10 righteous people found and we know what happened.

Remember Sisyphus? In thinking about Sarah, Abraham, the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, the world today, my prayers to God, I can’t help but think about that boulder and how hard we struggle to push it up the hill yet it keeps falling back. Is anything too hard for the Lord? Pushing a boulder is hard work. Thinking and acting upon what we think is best is hard work. Limiting God to what we think He is or what we think He will do or want to do is a boulder that will keep rolling down over us again and again and leave us exhausted. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 1 John 4:16.

God is love. That is the lens I now look through as I read His word to me. He was there in the beginning and He is there at the end and everywhere in between and He is with us. Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed. Sin will be destroyed…that is what God hates and works to bring to an end. Us He loves. I don’t know about you, but I’m weary from the boulders of sin in me, in not knowing God and His love as He truly is. This is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. John 17:3.