15_Power of Intercession Gen 18:16-19 When the men got up to leave, they looked out over Sodom. (Now Abraham was walking with them to see them on their way.) 17 Then the Lord said, “Should I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? 18 After all, Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all the nations on the earth may receive blessing through him. 19 I have chosen him so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just. Then the Lord will give to Abraham what he promised him.” The power of intercession pervades Scripture. It offers a window into the heart of God, and our need to partner with Him in His purposes. When we pray, it is not just to present our needs. It is to ask for mercy and grace for others who, like us, do not deserve it. Genesis 18:16-19 shows Abraham engaging in an extraordinary dialogue with God. It showcases the power of intercession and how it can transform the one who prays as well as those prayed for. Prayer is listening to and speaking with God. The first time the word “pray” is recorded in scripture, in Genesis 20, is in the context of intercession. There, God tells Abimelech to return Sarah to Abraham, declaring that Abraham was a prophet and would pray for him. Thus, from the beginning, prayer is shown to transcend self-interest. It embraces the needs of others. The same characteristic is seen in Abraham's plea for Sodom and Gomorrah. These wicked cities cried out for judgment. And Abraham did not seek to turn aside God’s justice. He sought mercy to those who feared God, by sparing the cities in which they dwelt. Genesis 18 testifies to the character of God. Though the Lord says that He was on His way to confirm the grievous sin of Sodom and Gomorrah and to execute judgment, He acknowledges that he cannot help sharing His plans with Abraham. Truly, the secret of the Lord is with those who fear him. Amos 3:7 echoes this sentiment, stating, "Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets." Do we know what it is to have the mind of Christ? Are our hearts so subject to his word that he is completely at home in our hearts? For then we abide with him and he with us. Abraham's response to the revelation of judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah is striking. One might expect that he would instantly agree because of the moral depravity of these cities. But instead he pleads for mercy. He is always aware that his kinsman Lot dwells in Sodom, having departed from him. He is not self-righteous or disdainful towards him. Instead, he is moved by love for Lot to hope that righteousness might yet be found in the city. Humility and love mark the true intercessor rather than judgment and wrath. It is easy to criticize those who faltered in their choices, as