God Saves Us from Ourselves [Genesis 11]


1Now the whole earth used the same language and the same words. 2It came about as they journeyed east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. 3They said to one another, "Come, let us make bricks and burn them thoroughly." And they used brick for stone, and they used tar for mortar.

 4They said, "Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name, otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth."

 5The LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. 6The LORD said, "Behold, they are one people, and they all have the same language. And this is what they began to do, and now nothing which they purpose to do will be impossible for them. 7"Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, so that they will not understand one another's speech." 8So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of the whole earth; and they stopped building the city.


 

I confess that I really don't have a clue why God did not want man to understand one another's speech.  I pondered this off and on all day, yesterday.  This morning as I read Genesis 12 about Abram, I began to understand.  God knew what was best for man and it was not to make a name for himself.  God thwarted man's plan and gave him the opportunity to fulfill His purpose, His desire for man's best - to fill the whole earth. 


We praise You Father that You love us enough to prevent us from making a name for ourselves.  In Your love, You know what we need to live fulfilled lives.  Thank You for saving us from ourselves, over and over.  You are a God who cares.

Verna McCrillis, 2/19/2010