Challenging God

"...but Abraham still stood before the Lord." (Gen 18:22)
"...far be it from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" (Gen 18:25)
"So the Lord went His way as soon as He had finished speaking with Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place." (Gen 18:33)

What just happened here? Did someone just stand up to God and argue a point as if the Creator were a mere schoolyard bully? Or is the lesson here more subtle? From my reading of the Word, this was Abraham's fifth personal encounter with the Lord. Not since Adam had anyone received so much face time with The Boss.

That Abraham used this valuable moment to argue, to plead a case for the condemned of Sodom causes me to scratch my head in wonder. I mean, come on. Abraham, you are living in a tent, in the Negev Desert of all places. What about a little "milk and honey," a bit of personal comfort, maybe a more reliable water supply, better crops, protection from marauding neighbors? Since God seemed open to suggestion, what about a less painful tribal marking than circumcision?

The story unfolding in this section of Genesis involves Abraham exercising his faith in God by negotiating over the destruction of a wicked city. What balls he had to stand on nothing more than faith in the friendship he had developed with the Maker of heaven and earth, and argue.

And Abraham had no quid pro quo, nothing to offer in return. Or did he? Abraham's faith had not come to him all at once. It came step by step. It came by taking risks, trusting in incremental moments, building upon prior experiences. Over time he learned that God would be there for him. And over time he learned he could successfully argue before God for the lives of a few souls.

That was Abraham's quid pro quo. His faith in their relationship was exactly what the Lord wanted in return. And when the exchange was concluded each went their own way, certain that their point had been understood. And that is all God wants from me. Enough faith in Him to argue with Him.