September 18, 2026

GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY:

“But God came to Abimelek in a dream one night and said to him, ‘You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken; she is a married woman.’” (Genesis 20.3)

REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD:

Who listens to God? I suppose it depends on what one means by listen? Hearing is the six senses (hear, taste, touch, feel, smell and perceive intuitively). It is a sensory perception/reception of the world around us that we see and cannot see but know somehow, by fact or intuition, that it exists. LIstening is a process of thinking and decision-making which our senses inform; most importantly the sense of hearing. While the mind takes in all kinds of sensory messages, both verbal and non-verbal, processing of that information through the art of listening focuses attention on what is important and not important. The purpose is to formulate the best possible response to the message/messages sent and received. We often confuse the two terms, hearing and listening, but they are distinctively different. One is receiving (hearing) and the other is responding to what one has heard (listening; or maybe we could call it focused hearing.) For example, we can say Lot heard God speak instruction, warning and guidance for himself and his family. It can be argued that they didn’t really listen to God which we can say based on their responses and resulting actions. Hearing is no guarantee of listening and even less so of moving a person safely and successfully to where God intends. We are all guilty of that! Many times we hear what God is saying through scripture reading and meditation or through the teaching/preaching of God’s Word. We may hear it, and becomes of some familiarity with it nod our heads in agreement. However, does our heart and mind and spirit follow along in applying the lesson offered to a decision to be made and an action to be taken? If not, we hear it but we are not truly listening. Scripture puts it this way: let those with ears to hear hear (listen!).

We reflected on the tragedy of Lot. While he heard Abraham’s contention of the existence of Almighty God and may have believed in it to some degree (perhaps only so far as it served his purpose and not necessarily God’s), it is obvious that sin was more influential that righteousness. Before we get to hard on Lot, the apple must not have fallen far from the tree. After seeing all that had happened in and to Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham moved back to the Negev where he had made his fortune in mining opportunities. There was a new king there named Abimelek. He was a Philistine and did not worship God Almighty. However, he must have heard of what had happened to those places and people who were connected in some manner to Abraham and his clan. Here is a tale of two stories. It would seem that Abraham still had not fully “listened” to God. He would again engage in the same practice of passing off his wife as his sister in order to gain favor with a foreign king. Not only was it demeaning and derogatory to Sarah his wife who had now born him a son, Isaac, but spoke negatively about how much he did trust God to protect and provide. Obviously, Abraham was not listening as well as he should. However, this story is more about Abimelek than Abraham’s folly.

God appeared to Abimelek in a dream and confronted him with what Abraham had done to him by passing off his wife and the mother of his covenant child as his sister. God warned Abimelek of the destruction that would come upon him. Abimelek, fearing the wrath of this God who reigned down fire and brimstone from Heaven onto Sodom and Gomorrah, presented God with what was the truth. Both Abraham and Sarah were in it together fearing for their lives to live in a land where God was not respected nor honored. God commended him for speaking the truth and gave him a reprieve of sorts. Instead of destroying the land, he cursed him with a sickness that prevented him from fathering further generations. Abimelek returned Sarah with compensation for both her and Abraham. Perhaps he believed that Abraham then would be able to intercede for him. Abraham prayed for him and he was healed. It is a strange tale of “are you listening and what did you hear?” There was a tale of falsehood. Was it a plan of Abraham to do so believing God would intervene again on his behalf and for his welfare to gain a profit from such deception? It could certainly be seen as that but I will not dare to say nor accuse. There was a tale of fear of God though Abimelek did not put his faith in God before, during or after. He believed the power of Abraham’s God but not enough to become a believer.

What does that say to us, mighty ones of God? Are we hearers only or are we doers (listeners) of the Word of God? Do we use the power of God to our advantage believing that the mere mention of His name would suffice to move others to submit? Do we hear the voice of God calling but only “listen” to what is needed in the moment? If we are not listening fully to God, are we true believers? This story of Abraham and Abimelek is one that should challenge each of us to listen and obey, trust and honor God who has called us His own and blessed us with His Son.

TODAYS’ PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING:

Father, in these days we are finding the need to believe even more than ever before. We all have known trouble, some in greater ways than others, but You are offering us the assurance that we will not be consumed by it forever. Regardless of the “time” we are in and the “time” we have been given, we ask for Your Holy Spirit which Jesus asked You to share with us, to lead and guide and direct us in the paths we should go. Teach us what we still need to learn. Empower us to put that learning into action. Bless our actions not as a works righteousness endeavor, but as righteous works of faith, hope and love in Jesus’ name. AMEN.