God In Them




Gen 20:11  Abraham said, "I just assumed that there was no fear of God in this place and that 

	they'd kill me to get my wife. 


	From our teachings it would almost seem that Abraham was the only true God-

fearing man of those times. You would think that the rest of the world was pretty much just 

living to themselves and not even respectful of God. This thought is partly represented by 

what Abraham himself thought about the house of Abimelech. He believed that they didn't 

fear God and therefore adjusted his whole behavior in order to survive in their presence. In 

reality Abimelech was a man that greatly feared and honored God. This was a man that God 

appeared to and to whom he was referred to as "Master". There must have been some prior 

familiarity and respect having been given to God in order for this stranger to know God. He 

obviously didn't have the same channel to God that Abraham did and this probably 

contributed to the misperception. 

	It seems that there is a great possibility that God is moving in and through different 

people and different organizations than we would guess or of which we would necessarily 

approve. An understanding of this would go very far in learning how to best represent the 

God we know to the world and the ones that fear Him in a way that might not appear 

obvious to us. There might be a better assumption to possess that God is indeed working 

and moving in every human being and that there need not be lies told and behaviors 

adjusted in order to reach them or defend oneself. The best results might come from acting 

as if you actually believe and fear God yourself. He isn't so much in need of someone who 

can defend the faith with words as much as He's in need of someone who can represent the 

faith by simply believing, fearing, trusting, and acting in faith towards Him. 

	The desire of God's heart and His vision for every single person is complete 

redemption and restored and intense fellowship with Him. While we naturally segregate 

ourselves from those who don't appear to be "living" for or consecrated to God, and while we 

may adjust our behavior towards them accordingly, there is a great act of worship waiting to 

be displayed and performed in acting towards the obviously "lost" in a way that would 

represent God's heart towards them. This act will be possible only by setting aside thoughts 

of self and concerns about our own well-being for the vision of Christ formed in each 

person, no matter how they may be naturally perceived. As His life in them inspires honor 

and respect in us we will begin to glorify God through our lives and in the purity of our 

actions towards them. 


2/25/04