Prayer for Being Spared (Jan 7)
Genesis 18/19 relate crisis arising
in the lives of two of Abraham’s
family members: his wife Sarah
and his nephew Lot. Lot’s life of
compromise and worldly pursuits
stands stark contrast to the life
of Faith demonstrated by his uncle.
In response to Abraham’s fervent
prayers, God spares Lot while
destroying his home town for
its wickedness and perversion.
Lord, we will persist in Prayer:
The… men went on toward Sodom…
Abraham approached Lord and said:
Will You destroy both innocent
and guilty alike? Suppose You find
50 innocent people there within
the city – will You still destroy it
and not spare it for their sakes?
Surely You wouldn’t do such
a thing, destroying the innocent
with the guilty! Should not the
Judge of the Earth do what is right?
And the Lord replied: If I find 50
innocent people in Sodom, I will
spare the entire city for their sake.
Then Abraham spoke again: let me
go on: suppose there are only 45…
And the Lord said: I will not destroy
it if I find 45. Suppose only 40?…
suppose only 30 are found?
Suppose there are only 20?
Suppose only 10 are found there?
The Lord said: For the sake of the
ten, I’ll not destroy it (Gen 18:22-32)
Lord, we learn from Abraham’s
intercessory prayer that when
we approach You Most High,
we must recognise that Your
throne is one of Grace and mercy;
We also realise that we must
approach You with deep humility.
Lord, even as we intercede for
friends and loved ones this year,
may we know that You are most gracious and yet we humble
ourselves in Your sight. Amen.
Lord of lovingkindness, I have been
way too timid in prayers, when
compared myself to Abraham.
Help me Lord to know you much
better that I won’t feel afraid
to ask great things of You.
Grow my faith in you and lead me
to exercise this increasing faith
in my prayers to you this year.
In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
Lord, though the extent of our sin
is not as great as that of Sodom,
but our sinfulness before God is
still distasteful if not repugnant.
Thank God that there is One who
intercedes for us, who has brought
us to repentance, and has made
the way for us to be forgiven.
Like Abraham, we are now called
to intercede for others; to stand
in the gap for them that they
might find salvation. Amen.