Wanting to Confide

This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless person living on earth at the time, and he walked in close fellowship with God. Noah was the father of three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Now God saw that the earth had become corrupt and was filled with violence. God observed all this corruption in the world, for everyone on earth was corrupt. So God said to Noah, “I have decided to destroy all living creatures, for they have filled the earth with violence. Yes, I will wipe them all out along with the earth!

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭6:9-13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

http://bible.com/116/gen.6.9-13.nlt

***

In a world full of corruption, there was still one man who 'walked in close fellowship with God'. A man who would say God had become his Friend. A man that talked to God, heard from God, and was willing to obey God. NOAH. Noah was the one man God could actually confide in. I'm trying to imagine the scene - the day God decided to share His Secret to Noah that He was about to destroy everything. Was it over breakfast? Was Noah sitting there enjoying his morning grub and God hit him with it? Or was Noah going about his day and God pulled him aside? However He did it, the amazing point is that God was actually willing to tell him of His secret plans and let him know that, though everything was about to go south, Noah and his family, would be saved.

Noah's story shows us this amazing fact about God -- He loves to fill His kids in on His Plans! He delights in giving us the inside scoop. He loves to whisper things in our ears - things He is going to do, things that reveal His character, and things that one would only tell a friend.

Through the Old Testament as well as the New, we see a God who is willing and wanting to share His Plans with His people - with those in close relationship with Him. How about Abraham? God let him in on His plans to destroy Sodom and Gomarrah (which then triggered Abraham's intercession to spare the city because his nephew lived there).

Then the men got up from their meal and looked out toward Sodom. As they left, Abraham went with them to send them on their way. 

“Should I hide my plan from Abraham?” the Lord asked. “For Abraham will certainly become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him. I have singled him out so that he will direct his sons and their families to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just. Then I will do for Abraham all that I have promised.” 

So the Lord told Abraham, “I have heard a great outcry from Sodom and Gomorrah, because their sin is so flagrant. I am going down to see if their actions are as wicked as I have heard. If not, I want to know.” 

The other men turned and headed toward Sodom, but the Lord remained with Abraham. Abraham approached him and said, “Will you sweep away both the righteous and the wicked? Suppose you find fifty righteous people living there in the city—will you still sweep it away and not spare it for their sakes? Surely you wouldn’t do such a thing, destroying the righteous along with the wicked. Why, you would be treating the righteous and the wicked exactly the same! Surely you wouldn’t do that! Should not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?” 

And the Lord replied, “If I find fifty righteous people in Sodom, I will spare the entire city for their sake.” 

Then Abraham spoke again. “Since I have begun, let me speak further to my Lord, even though I am but dust and ashes. Suppose there are only forty-five righteous people rather than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?” 

And the Lord said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five righteous people there.” 

Then Abraham pressed his request further. “Suppose there are only forty?” 

And the Lord replied, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the forty.” “Please don’t be angry, my Lord,” Abraham pleaded. “Let me speak—suppose only thirty righteous people are found?”

 And the Lord replied, “I will not destroy it if I find thirty.” 

Then Abraham said, “Since I have dared to speak to the Lord, let me continue—suppose there are only twenty?” 

And the Lord replied, “Then I will not destroy it for the sake of the twenty.” 

Finally, Abraham said, “Lord, please don’t be angry with me if I speak one more time. Suppose only ten are found there?” 

And the Lord replied, “Then I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten.” 

When the Lord had finished his conversation with Abraham, he went on his way, and Abraham returned to his tent.

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭18:16-33‬ ‭NLT‬‬

http://bible.com/116/gen.18.16-33.nlt

We see similar exchanges of inside information in the New Testament as well. Remember Jesus sharing the Last Supper with His disciples? Big things were about to happen, and He took that opportunity to prep His friends for what was to come and even reveal to them who would betray Him.

Now Jesus was deeply troubled, and he exclaimed,

"I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me!”

The disciples looked at each other, wondering whom he could mean. The disciple Jesus loved was sitting next to Jesus at the table. Simon Peter motioned to him to ask, “Who’s he talking about?” So that disciple leaned over to Jesus and asked, “Lord, who is it?”

Jesus responded, “It is the one to whom I give the bread I dip in the bowl.” And when he had dipped it, he gave it to Judas, son of Simon Iscariot. When Judas had eaten the bread, Satan entered into him. Then Jesus told him, “Hurry and do what you’re going to do.””

‭‭John‬ ‭13:21-27‬ ‭NLT‬‬

http://bible.com/116/jhn.13.21-27.nlt

Over and over we see God wanting to confide in His People. Not that He had to. He could have chosen to keep things hush hush. But He didn't. He wanted to confide. He was looking to confide- because that's what friends do. Friends tell each other secrets. Friends share things with each other that they wouldn't dare tell a stranger. Friends trust each other with precious inside information. Friends tell friends the things on their heart and the plans they have in store. And that is the kind of Friend God wants to be to us.