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Day 12 Genesis 18:23 And Abraham drew near, and said, “Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? 24 Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? 25 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth, do right?” 26 And the LORD said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.” 27 And Abraham answered and said, “Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes: 28 Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five?” And he said, “If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.” 29 And he spoke unto him yet again, and said, “Peradventure there shall be forty found there.” And he said, “I will not do it for forty’s sake.” 30 And he said unto him, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there.” And he said, “I will not do it, if I find thirty there.” 31 And he said, “Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there.” And he said, “I will not destroy it for twenty’s sake.” 32 And he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there.” And he said, “I will not destroy it for ten’s sake.” 33 And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place. Has there been something you felt compelled to pray about and wouldn’t give up until you felt the matter satisfied? When God delivered the news to Abraham and Sarah that they would have a child, they rose to leave. When they did, they hinted at the trouble they saw in neighboring villages. Genesis 18:16 And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way. 17 And the LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; 18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? 19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.” 20 And the LORD said, “Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; 21 I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.” 22 And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD. (KJV) You see the situation troubled God so that two of the trinity, the Son and Holy Spirit left to go to Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham stood before Father God to plead with Him for the lives of the people. In his plea for Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham begged God to spare the cities for the sake of the righteous people living there. God told Abraham He would spare them if He found ten righteous people in the cities. As Christians, you know persistence is important in your prayer life. God wants to know your heart and will act on your prayers. You have loved ones who need your prayers for salvation. You have friends and family members who have needs you can’t help with, yet God can. The only thing you can do is pray for God’s intervention. Before God turned to Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham pleaded with Him. God determined to destroy the cities because of their sin. Yet God stopped long enough to speak with Abraham and hear his heart for the cities. Do you have a heart for the cities of the world who haven’t heard the gospel of Jesus Christ? Do you have a heart for the lost, who without your persistent prayers, have no hope of salvation? God hears your heart-cry and will respond. You know the work God does in those cities and countries because of the testimonies of the missionaries who went there to bring salvation to the people. You don’t need to go to a foreign country. Salvation starts where you live. Let’s pray: Father, You know my heart. You listen when I come to You with a persistent heart for the people who need to know You and the love You have for them. Give me a heart for people so they will know You as the loving God You are. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. Copyright © 25 June 2021 by Valerie Routhieaux Image courtesy of Pixabay