Browse Bible Study Resources

Daily Devotions

Genesis

Genesis 
Day 
Day 100

"Your mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. Your righteousness is like the great mountains; Your judgments are a great deep." Psalm 36:5-6

Text: Genesis 18:1-33

A TRULY MERCIFUL JUDGE

Many struggle with the thought of God as “Judge of all the earth”. Some wonder at how God can judge at all. Few appreciate the tremendous mercy that is found in God! Abraham’s sustained intercession on behalf of the righteous demonstrates the greatness of God’s mercy. How gracious God was to make this reply to Abraham.

“So He said, ‘If I find there forty-five, I will not destroy it.'”

GENESIS 18:28


VALUABLE INSIGHTS ON PRAYER

Abraham, encouraged by the gracious response of the Judge of all the earth, pressed on with his intercession.

“And he spoke to Him yet again and said,
‘Suppose there should be forty found there?’
So He said, ‘I will not do it for the sake of forty.’
Then he said, ‘Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak:
Suppose thirty should be found there?’
So He said, ‘I will not do it if I find thirty there.'”

GENESIS 18:29-30

1. Prayer as a Probe

Prayer may sometimes be seen as “a probe”. One does not know the will of God, except through probing it in prayer. This was what Abraham sought to do, even as he pleaded with the Lord.

2. Proper perspective retained at all times

Abraham never felt that he was “a powerful man of prayer”. He was glad that the Lord was not “angry” at his constant pleading! What an encouragement it is to know that the Lord is NOT angry when we plead earnestly and sincerely in prayer.


SUSTAINED INTERCESSION

Abraham felt drawn to intercede even more as he sensed the Lord’s favourable disposition to his impassioned pleas.

“And he said, ‘Indeed now, I have taken it upon myself
to speak to the Lord: Suppose twenty should be found there?’
So He said, ‘I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty.’
Then he said, ‘Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak
but once more: Suppose ten should be found there?'”

GENESIS 18:31-32a

Would God be upset with what sounds almost like “haggling”? No! God never gets angry when we approach Him humbly in intercessory prayer!