ONLY TEN

Genesis 18: 23-28 “Then Abraham approached him (the Lord) and said, ‘Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked? What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing ‒ to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?’ The Lord said, ‘If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.’ Then 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, what if the number of righteous is five less than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city because of five people?’ ‘If I find forty-five there,’ he said, ‘I will not destroy it.’”
[Then Abraham bargained more with the Lord until he got the number lower.]
Genesis 18: 32-33 “Then he said, ‘May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?’ He answered, ‘For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it.’ When the Lord had finished speaking with Abraham, he left, and Abraham returned home.”
[But, the Lord could not even find ten righteous people and he utterly destroyed both Sodom and Gomorrah.]
We point out the un-Godliness of our own country at times, but perhaps, the entire country does not have to turn and see the sins we have committed and lead a righteous life, in order for our country to be spared. Will the Lord find ten righteous people in the United States so that we will not be destroyed? My friends, the time is NOW to get serious about our walk with the Lord. Can He count on you; can He count on me, to be one of the Ten? Let us pray:

“Our heavenly Father, you are the Holy One, the one true God. May we wake up and recognize your sovereignty over us and our country so that we may be spared the destruction that could come. Give us eyes that see, ears that hear, hearts that love, and tongues that express your mighty power, your forgiveness and grace, and your love. While we are unworthy to claim anything on our own, we pray for the gift of discernment through the promises of your son, Jesus Christ, that we might live righteous lives before you while yet here in the company of mankind. If ten are sufficient to spare our country of this calamity, let the willingness in our hearts to be counted among the Ten, be enough to spare our nation, ever knowing that perfection is not ours. Your Holy Spirit lives within us, so please recognize your children through your own spirit, Father, and heal our land. Forgive us when we, like errant children, have gone ‘out to play’ while the country of your blessing has burned. Let us no longer look to others to pray our nation into wholeness, but take our place as one of the Ten and humble ourselves before you and seek your face, and love your country back to health. To you we give all praise and glory, oh Father God. In the name of, and by the power of, your precious son, Jesus, we pray. Amen”

Doris
Copyright 2008 Doris Gaines Rapp, Ph.D.
“God gives us stories that testify to His love. Let me tell you mine.”