Abraham & Intercession
In the book of Genesis, Chapters 17 and 18, ninety-nine year old Abram is asked to walk with God. He goes through some kind of transformation and his name is changed. He is now Abraham. His wife, Sarah, is 10 years younger than Abraham. God makes a covenant with He and Sarah and promises to multiply their funds and investments, there will be a child, their names are changed and Abraham will be the father of many nations.
As with convenants and legal agreement there are many details and I suggest you read this chapter for yourself.
So as you can see Abraham has a lot on his mind. Most of us would be looking at retirement communities at age 99, but God is expecting a great deal from Abraham at this time.
A year or so goes by and God and an angel or two stop by Abraham and Sarah’s tent. They have great news, there is going to be a baby, and BTW they are on their way to destroy a couple of towns infested with people of questionable character and intentions.
So Abraham interceeds. What I find fastinating is this. Abraham has a nephew named Lot living there. Abraham doesn’t say he has a relative there, or “God, could you please save this one guy”. He asked point blank if there are fifty righteous among the wicked will God destroy them as well. Then what if there are forty, what if there are thirty? He talks with God exploring the depth of his mercy. What if there is only one righteous man?
Abraham interceded for any and all righteous people in Sodom and Gomorrah, even though he had quite a bit on his mind and lots of activities to take care of day by day. You know, with two elderly people living in a tent, farming and ranching and a baby on the way. But Abraham’s thoughts were with others.
We can do the same thing today. Talk with God for someone else. Someone who needs the mercy of God, and his blessings. What are we waiting for?
