Humbly Bold
Sometimes I listen to the Bible on CD in my car. It’s a favorite of my son. I started it when a friend told me that she plays the Promise Bible in her car on the way to school. There’s something special about the version she recommended. There are different voices for each character, as well as background sounds that add context and makes the words memorable – especially for little kids.
I can’t say I know the entire Bible by heart from listening to the CDs, but I have often found the need to pull my car over so I could write down a verse that caught me off-guard. Whenever that happens, I am taken aback by the reminder of the living nature of God’s Word and how God seems to know exactly what verse you need to know at that moment.
Last night was one of those occasions – in every way. Not only did a Bible verse jump out at me, but the impact of the verse on the way I was viewing my situation was highlighted by the truth in that verse.
It read:
27Then Abraham spoke up again: “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes, 28what if the number of the righteous is five less than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city… – Genesis 18:27-28a (NIV).
This came in the middle of the story where God voiced His intention to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah because of the wickedness found in the cities. There were three things that made this so compelling to me. First, Abraham interceded on behalf of the few righteous people that might be in the city. It wasn’t really his cause, his concern, if you will. Yet, he cared. Cared for people he probably didn’t know, never met and would likely, even if God spared the city, never meet.
Perhaps he was so willing to extend grace and mercy because of the grace and mercy God had shown him. He had not once but twice offered his wife as his sister when he thought his own life was in danger and both times, God had her returned, untouched, by those who relied on Abraham’s misstatements to take her. He knew God to be a gracious and merciful God and sought out that grace and mercy for others.
Second, the boldness of Abraham in coming before God was something I was reminded that I sometimes lack. It’s not that I don’t ask God for what I want, but rather that I sometimes forget all He will do if we just ask… if, provided, we are asking for something in His will. More so, it reminded me that my boldness should be Gospel or evangelical oriented. I should be bold in praying for others to be saved, and, like Peter and Paul, bold at all costs, in proclaiming the Gospel to others.
And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” – Acts 2:38 (ESV)
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jews first and also to the Greek. – Romans 1:16 (ESV)
Finally, and, for me, most importantly, I was reminded of the humility that Abraham, Isaiah and even Jesus approached God – humility that I sometimes forget.
Abraham humbly approaches God with his request, acknowledging that he, unlike God, is but “dust and ashes…” Abraham’s boldness was a humble boldness. He does not attempt to bulldoze God, but rather honors God. In humbling himself, he acknowledges the greatness, the holiness, and the powerfulness of our God. Abraham has a healthy appreciation for the fact that God is God and he is not. So did Isaiah.
1In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3And they were calling to one another:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory.”
4At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.
5“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” – Isaiah 6:1-5 (NIV)
Jesus did as well, choosing to defer to God the Father’s will over His own, even to the point of submitting to the cross.
We might call Abraham’s humility a reverence for God – yet a bold one. He asks God to change His plans – to spare a wicked village for the sake of a few righteous. That’s bold. It’s also encouraging because it reminds us that we can come before our God boldly, asking even that He change His plans. It doesn’t mean God will as we later learn that the cities were indeed destroyed with only Lot, his wife and two daughters getting out alive and, when Lot’s wife disobeyed the command not to look back, she too died, turning to a pillar of stone.
And, to some, it might be disappointing that such humble boldness was not rewarded with the salvation of those cities. Likewise, we may be disappointed on those occasions when it doesn’t turn out like we want. We may be surprised, though, when it does. If we truly are humble, we can boldly come forth and ask.
“Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.” – John 16:24 (NIV)
As “I am nothing but dust and ashes,” I am humbled that I can come boldly before God.
Thanks for sharing.
What a wonderful post Niccol! So challenging. It is my prayer to have a boldness like never before for God!!
I like how you put it “humbly boldness”. May I always remember to stay humble, but approach His throne with boldness.