LET me give you, dear children, two little pictures, of two men and their wives; and I would ask you to notice how each of these men acted in the presence of the Lord.
The first picture will be very brief. Think of Adam and Eve in the beautiful garden of Eden with its fine, sheltering trees, its lovely streams, its nice and various fruits so good to the taste; the creatures all subject to them, no wearying toil to earn their bread! Would you not think that their hearts would be filled with gratitude to God for placing them in circumstances of such ease and comfort?
But, listen! when one day they heard the voice of the Lord God, instead of running to meet Him, they hid from His presence among the trees of the garden. If you will read the third chapter of Genesis you will learn all about it.
And now if you will turn to the eighteenth chapter of Genesis and read, you will find the other picture I have for you. It is Abraham and his wife; not in a garden of delights, but in a tent on the plains of Mamre. It was in the cool of the day that Adam heard the voice of the Lord; it was in the heat of the day as Abraham sat in the door of his tent, that the Lord appeared to him. When he lifted up his eyes and looked he saw three men, one of whom was the Lord.
He did not run and hide as Adam did, but he ran out to meet them and bowed himself down before them. He asked the Lord not to pass away, if he had found favor in His sight, but to rest under the tree while he would bring them something to eat. Then he hurried into the tent, and told Sarah, his wife, to take some fine meal and make ready quickly some cakes; and . while she was making her preparations, he ran out to the herd and got a good, tender calf, which he gave to a young man, who made haste to dress it. When all was ready, Abraham took out to the strangers, butter and milk, and the good things that had been prepared, and stood by them. under the tree, while they ate.
Sarah, who was in the tent, heard the men' tell Abraham that she should have a son in her old age. She laughed at this for she thought it could not be. Now the Lord knew that Sarah laughed, and He knew what her thoughts were, and He said, Is anything too hard for the Lord? Ah! Sarah did not then know the power of the Lord, and she did not have the same strong faith that Abraham had; but the Lord graciously led her to know His power and His goodness.
When the men were through with their repast, they rose up and started toward the city of Sodom. Abraham, whose hospitality did not end with giving them a good meal, "went with them to bring them on the way." There was no trying to get away from the Lord on the part of Abraham; he evidently enjoyed His company, and was glad to be a little longer with Him. The result of this continuing with the Lord was that the Lord unfolded to him His mind and His purposes. He said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do? He then told Abraham of the grievous sins of Sodom and Gomorrah, and of His intention to destroy these wicked cities. Then Abraham began to plead with the Lord to spare the city of Sodom, for his nephew Lot and his family lived there. He asked Him if He would not spare the city, if there were found fifty righteous persons in it. The Lord in great grace answered Abraham that if He found fifty righteous persons within . the city He would spare all the place for their sakes. Abraham, thus encouraged, asked the Lord if He would spare, and not destroy the city if there lacked five of the fifty. The Lord said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it. Then Abraham pleaded for the sake of forty, then for the sake of thirty, then twenty, and at last he mentioned ten. Each time he received the same gracious reply, until the Lord said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake. When the Lord was done communing with Abraham He left him and Abraham went back to his tent.
Now you have the two pictures. Which is the happier scene — Adam fleeing from the presence of the 'Lord, or Abraham running to meet the Lord and having happy communion with Him?
Some years ago, a Christian was telling a boy of nine years of age about the coming of the Lord; when she was through, she said, "What would you do D — . if Jesus would come now?" D — . with a startled look, and a somewhat excited tone said, "Oh, I'd run away." His cousin, three years younger, who was in another part of the room, and who, evidently, had been listening to the conversation, jumped up. saying, "I wouldn't." "And what would you do, E — .?" "I would run to Him."
How is it with you, dear young reader? Would you be like D — . or like E — . — like Adam, or like Abraham?
Yet another question What made the difference between these two men, think you? Perhaps many of you would rightly answer, Adam had done wrong and he wanted to get away from God, and Abraham was walking in faithfulness before God, and it was a joy to him to have Him come and make His abode for a little time with him.
Once more, how is it with you, dear young reader? Do you want to get away from God, or do you enjoy His presence and have happy talks with Him? You cannot see Him with your bodily eyes, nor hear His voice as Abraham did, but you can show your love for Him, by doing what He shows you in His word is pleasing to Him; and if you are doing this, He will make Himself known to you in a very blessed way. He says, "If a man love Me, he will keep My words; and My Father will love Him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him." John xiv:23.
Seek, dear children, to walk in obedience before Him, and in this you will be like Abraham, who was "The Friend of God."
Messages of God’s Love 5/19/1901