Pray With Bold Humility

“The LORD said, “If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.” Then Abraham spoke up again: “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes, what if the number of the righteous is five less than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city because of five people?”
Genesis 18:26-28

Daily Devotion – July 30, 2022

Devotion based on Genesis 18:26-28

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Prayer is an awesome privilege! You and I get to talk to the almighty God.

How do you pray? Hands folded and eyes closed, or arms extended with your palms toward heaven? Silently in your mind or out loud?

God is less interested in the physical aspect of prayer than he is about the attitude with which we pray. Abraham gives us an example to follow when it comes to the attitude we are to have when praying.

Abraham was humble. He knew he was nothing but “dust and ashes,” and he had no right to expect the Lord to hear his prayer. Yet he asked anyway because he knew that God is gracious and compassionate.

This is an example for us as we pray. We approach God with proper humility, fully understanding that as sinners, we have no right to be heard by a holy God. We certainly have no right to expect him to answer us and grant what we have asked.

But Abraham was also bold. After his initial request, he went back to the Lord five more times. Each time lowering the number of believers that needed to be found for the city to be spared.

We can also pray with boldness. We know the love of our God. He sent his Son to die for us. Because of that sacrifice, we have been washed clean of all sin and given the privilege of approaching God with any and every request.

Be like Abraham and pray with bold humility.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I know that I have no right to approach you in prayer. It is only because Jesus has washed me clean of all sin that I have the privilege of talking to you. Help me to be bold when I pray, trusting that you always hear and answer. In Jesus’ name I ask it. Amen.

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