Proper 12 Sunday July 29
Readings: Genesis 18:20-33; Colossians 2:6-15; Luke 11:1-13; Psalm 138

Abraham answered, "Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?" Genesis 18:27-28

"For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened." Luke 11:10

To me the readings for this week from Genesis and from Luke are about several important aspects of our access to God. First and foremost ... even if we are not so fortunate as to have God and two angels actually show up at our door as they did with Abraham, we still have only to speak and God will hear.

Secondly ... God will listen ... I'm not sure I would be so bold as the almost too clever Abraham who seems to think he's going to outsmart God with his series of questions about the number of righteous that need to be found in Sodom in order that the city be saved when it might have been much simpler to be at least an honest sack of "dust and ashes" and just ask for what he really wanted ... that Lot and his family be spared.

And thirdly ... God will answer. It may not be the answer that you expect ... it may even sometimes seem more like a "snake" than a "fish" ... but it will be the right answer.

The reading from Luke gives us an excellent starting point for beginning our conversation. It's all good ... yes ... you can ask now ... do it.