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Genesis 18 – Praying through the Bible #9 – A Prayer of Friendship
Walk into a High School cafeteria and it’s easy to spot “best friends.” The leaders lead their entourage. The popular kids have their tables, along with the jocks and geeks. Band members “band” together. Even those socially awkward are bound together ironically by their social awkwardness. Some are loners, even if sitting with other loners. A few never want to be the first to sit down at a table for fear they will be the only one.
Abraham has the best friend. Our father in the faith is called, “the friend of God” (Jms 2.23; 2 Chron 20.7). Nowhere is that closeness found more uniquely than in the way they talk to each other in Genesis 18. How strange then that this scene of friendship might be the origin of the derogatory and racist phrase, “jew down.” God considers Abraham so special He says, “Should I hide what I am about to do from Abraham?” (Genesis 18:17 – HCSB). Some say Abraham “bargains” with God getting the number needed to save Sodom down from 50 to 10. Is God giving Abraham the opportunity to be a mediator, never really changed by Abraham’s arguments? Is God testing the mercy of Abraham? Is God truly being affected by Abraham’s pleas as His friend?
When Abraham is talking to, that is “praying” to Yahweh, I believe something amazing is happening – Abraham actually changes God’s mind. Why? Abraham is the friend of God. Friends are that close, and talk to one another about anything on their hearts. I want to have that kind of relationship with God. I want to be able to plea for the “cup” to be passed while simultaneously praying, “Not my will but yours be done.” I want to be God’s friend.
But there is more, when Abraham talks to God, he understands this is not an equal friendship: “I am dust and ashes” (18.27); “let the Lord not be angry” (18.32).
Prayer Challenge – What do we need to do to make God our best friend? First, friends have commonalities. James says to be a friend of God we cannot make the world our friend (4.4). So ask God to search us for obstacles against being close to and more like God. Second, friends talk, sharing everything. So we need to pray to God like He is both our God and our best friend. Never will we be God’s best friend, but God can be ours.
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