Abraham wholeheartedly believed that God answers prayers, a truth he had experienced throughout his life. God does not always respond in the way we expect or with the outcomes we fully desire, but according to His perfect will and grace.
I remember praying for an eight-month-old infant suffering from a liver disease. As I laid my hands on her and prayed, I felt that the Lord would heal her supernaturally. God did heal her, but it was when He took her to heaven a few months later. Sometimes, we don’t understand why God doesn’t answer prayers the way we desire, but we must trust that He knows best.
Abraham’s Intercession
The previous day, Abraham had stood before the Lord, interceding with desperate earnestness for the cities of the plain where his nephew Lot resided. He had pleaded, bargaining down from fifty righteous people to a mere ten, hoping against hope that God would spare the cities. Now, as the first light touches the sky, Abraham, a man of faith and deep concern, rises early and returns to that very spot. Imagine Abraham’s heart in that moment. Was it filled with dread, anticipating the worst? Was there a flicker of hope, clinging to the possibility that God had found ten righteous souls?
Genesis 19:28 Abraham looked out across the plain toward Sodom and Gomorrah and watched as columns of smoke rose from the cities like smoke from a furnace. 29 But God had listened to Abraham’s request and kept Lot safe, removing him from the disaster that engulfed the cities on the plain.[1]
God Listened to Abraham
Though the cities were beyond saving due to their sins, God’s promise and Abraham’s intercession were not in vain. God listened to Abraham, and for his sake, He saved Lot and his daughters. In our prayer life, we must be persistent like Abraham. Don’t give up, even when circumstances appear dire.
Remember, God listens and does not forget our pleas or His promises. God is sovereign and filled with grace. His judgment of Sodom was righteous, but in His mercy, He prompted Abraham to intercede on behalf of Lot. Don’t forget the power of intercession; our prayers can make a difference.
Are your loved ones going through tough times or feeling a bit hopeless? Just like Abraham, we can approach the Lord and share our heartfelt feelings, trusting that our faithful God always remembers, hears, and responds to our prayers. While His answers might not always match what we hope for, they are always fair, compassionate, and part of His excellent plan. So, let’s keep praying; God is listening, and God answers prayers!
To learn more, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/divine-judgment-and-human-choices
[1] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Ge 19:28–29). Tyndale House Publishers.