# 170 Peace in the Midst of Unanswered Questions

The Book of Genesis

Day 170

Ge 19:27 And Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the LORD.  28 Then he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain; and he saw, and behold, the smoke of the land which went up like the smoke of a furnace.  29 And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when He overthrew the cities in which Lot had dwelt.

We don’t know why Abraham went to the exact same place where he had stood before the Lord and interceded for Lot and the cities. Perhaps his view of Sodom was best from there. Perhaps this would become a favorite place of prayer for him. (By the way, I hope you have such a place!)

But can you imagine the emotions that Abraham was experiencing as he looked toward Sodom and saw the smoke. “Really God?  Really?  You couldn’t find ten righteous people in the whole city?”  “Did Lot make it out?”

The Bible never mentions Abraham going down to the city and picking through the ruins. It is silent on whether Abraham ever saw Lot again. We know Lot was spared, but did Abraham know? All we are told is that God remembered Abraham and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow.  Since there is no more recorded discussion with God about the matter, all we can assume is that Abraham left this special place of prayer in peace.  A oneness of spirit, a quietness and rest in the will of God! This is a peace that can only come from the Lord.

Remember Job? Remember his great losses and remember what he said, , “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” Job was at peace with the sovereign will of God!  And God said, “ In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.”

Sometimes our unanswered questions can rob us of peace and keep us from what is important.  After Jesus had risen from the dead, He told Peter of the martyr’s death that awaited him, and then commanded Peter to follow Him! Peter asked about John and his death, and Jesus replied, “If I will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me.”

There are many unanswered questions in our lives. Things God has not chosen to reveal to us. If we dwell on them unnecessarily, we sacrifice our peace and we allow kingdom work to go undone, as we follow after our questions, rather than following after Jesus. His advice to us for things out of our control is to trust God, and get on with following Him.

Pray: Father, help me to be content with simply knowing that Your ways are not our ways. Your ways are always guided by perfect love. A love that we won’t fully understand this side of heaven.