You know what it’s like. You have read a portion of scripture many times and then suddenly, a fresh revelation hits you. That’s precisely what happened to me and I want it to share it in this week’s post. Simple concept but one that’s worth repeating.

I was reading from Genesis 18recently, where God talks to Abraham about the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah. God said that if there were 10 righteous people, He would not destroy the city. We know that there weren’t 10 righteous people, so the place was deemed for destruction. We may never know on this side of planet earth, why Abraham stopped interceding at 10 (perhaps his faith could not carry any more), but we do know that God would have kept his word and not destroyed the city if there had been 10 righteous people.

We also know that a righteous man called Lot lived in Sodom and Gomorrah ( 2 Peter 2:7). Because of His righteousness, God was not going to destroy Lot with the rest of the city, so God planned a way of escape for him.

What’s interesting as I think about the story is that whilst the righteous (individuals) are secure in the safety of God ( Proverbs 18:10), God also honours our prayers so that the rest of the city might be saved. God keeps a record of those who cry out to Him because of the abominations that take place in society – Ezekiel 9:3-6.

‘Then the glory of the God of Israel went up from the cherub where it had rested to the threshold of the temple. 1 He called to the man dressed in linen who had the writing kit at his side. The Lord said to him, “Go through the city of Jerusalem   and put a mark   on the foreheads of the people who moan and groan over all the abominations practiced in it.”

While I listened, he said to the others,  Go through the city after him and strike people down; do no let your eye pity nor spare   anyone! Old men, young men, young women, little children, and women – wipe them out! But do not touch anyone who has the mark. Begin at my sanctuary!” So they began with the elders who were at the front of the temple’

Sometimes, we are so overwhelmed by the ‘darkness’ around us that we find it almost impossible to ‘believe’ past the darkness. In full assurance that God would deliver the righteous, let’s take comfort from the scriptures knowing that the fervent effectual prayer of a righteous man avails much. There are no ‘small’ prayers; there are only fervent and effectual prayers.

Our collective prayers avail much as the scriptures state that one shall put a thousand to flight and two ten thousand. Like Elijah, there are many believers or righteous people in the city  - some we know and some we may never know.

Standing in the gap in the marketplace is one of the ways we can fulfil our priestly function. God always hears our prayers. Never give up, who knows whether your ‘marketplace’ is waiting for your prayers. Let’s not take our individual safety as a means of being negligent about the marketplace. Sometimes, I find that we spend so much time praying for our own needs and forget to lift up the marketplace. Let’s ask God to help us lift up our ‘marketplace’

Just thought I will share my thoughts with you. Until I appear again in your inbox, stay blessed

Ola

Last update : Monday 12/07/09

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