14/10/2015 - Standing before the Lord

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Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord. Genesis 18.22

The Lord is faithful, because He does not hide what he does from those who believe in Him (John 15.15). He invites us to be part of His work, which is good and productive. This brings us an eternal reward. Beware that you do not bring Him shame or get disqualified. He who has been called by Him has reached the highest position, becoming a minister of the New Covenant, not of the letter, which kills, but of the live-giving Spirit (2Corinthians 3.6).

He who serves the Almighty is lifted up (Psalm 3.3). On the other hand, he who works carelessly, does not apply himself to learning the Word, or does not hear what the Lord says, one day will see he has made the wrong decision. It is both important and rewarding to be considered a friend of the only God. If Abraham had not been faithful, we would never have heard of him. On top of that, he would not have had experienced the success of being a father at 100 years of age.

When the angels announced what they were about to do in Sodom, they gave a hint to the Hebrew patriarch, saying that they would check if things were as they were told. This declaration shows that God was looking for someone to intercede for the cities that formed the greater Sodom. Abraham understood the message and took upon himself this mission. When they left following God’s instructions, Abraham felt it was time to fill the gap and so he did.

The Biblical account shows us the secret of the man who was called friend of God: he stood still before the Lord. We must stand before His face – the revelation of the Word. And so, we will pray correctly. We will be heard when we plead looking at the Father’s face. The revelation teaches us when and how to pray. It is also clear that the answer lies in other factors.

You will not be successful in prayer if you are not steadfast in the vision shown you in God’s face. Such plea must be accepted as a matter of life or death, because the Lord would never put in our hearts to plea on behalf of someone, or a group of people, if that were not urgent and necessary. Therefore, when praying for someone, do it with faith and determination.

The secret lies in fixing your eyes on God. It is rewarding and a great pleasure to do so. Scriptures never cease to reveal itself and it gives us a glimpse of how the Lord works; they make us wise in everything. Understanding the Word makes you wiser than your masters. That which comes from the Highest is superior and undoubtedly necessary. Nothing compares to God’s blessings.

Some may say that the Lord was not a friend to Abraham because he destroyed Sodom and Gomorra. The truth is that the angels went to check if those people would allow themselves to be convinced of their sin. However, because they were unbelieving, they did not want to do otherwise, but to satisfy their evil desires (Colossians 3.5).

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares