063 Abraham: The Intercession

Three visitors came to Abraham. One of them was Yahweh Himself. After a dinner where a miraculous birth was promised, God brought His friend, Abraham, into His confidence. The outcry against the repulsive depravity of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah had reached the point where God chose to step in. The time for judgment had come. These cities would be wiped out.

Abraham’s response was not what you or I might have done. I might have said, “Good! They deserve it!” But Abraham intercedes. He pleads with God for mercy for those who don’t deserve it.  

There are a few lessons we can learn from Abraham’s intercession:

1.     God really wants His people to take a role in His Kingdom dream. 

For some reason beyond understanding, the Lord is very pleased to partner with His redeemed children in the working out of His purposes.

2.     One of the primary roles we can play is intercessory prayer.

While God wants to use our hands and feet, what He values most is our prayers.  

The Apostle Peter wrote… “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their prayer.” (I Peter 3:12) 

James adds… “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. (James 5:16)

The flip side is also true.  Again from James… “You have not because you ask not.” (James 4:2)

Apparently, there is that which God could do and would do but can’t do and won’t do if we fail to pray.

We also see from Abraham that…

3.     Effective intercessory prayer is persistent.

One of Jesus’ most compelling parables was about a woman who came to a judge and kept on asking him to intervene in her case.  She kept asking and kept asking, refusing to give up.  And Jesus said that such action demonstrated that we should keep on praying and never give up. 

I’m struck by Jesus’ injunction to “Love your enemies.”  Most of us are familiar with those words.  But the whole verse is, “Love your enemies and pray for them.” (Mt. 5:44)    

Who would you call an enemy?  Who has so hurt you or those you love?  Who has taken from you far more than those thieves took from me?  Who would you, in your totally honest moments, like God to pour judgment upon?

Now…consider the grace you’ve been shown.  Think about the patience God had in not pouring judgment down on you.  What should your attitude be toward that person?  How might you follow Abraham’s lead?

Text: Genesis 18

Originally recorded October 26, 2014, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.