# 165 Your Prayer May Be Historic

The Book of Genesis

Day 165

Ge 19:17 So it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, that he said, "Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed." 18 Then Lot said to them, "Please, no, my lords! 19 "Indeed now, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have increased your mercy which you have shown me by saving my life; but I cannot escape to the mountains, lest some evil overtake me and I die. 20 "See now, this city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one; please let me escape there (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live." 21 And he said to him, "See, I have favored you concerning this thing also, in that I will not overthrow this city for which you have spoken. 22 "Hurry, escape there. For I cannot do anything until you arrive there." Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar. 23 The sun had risen upon the earth when Lot entered Zoar.

There’s that phrase again! “It came to pass,” one of 452 times it shows up in Scripture. Another go or no go proposition is placed before God! Don’t think your prayers matter? Well sometimes they matter very much! This God-granted request of Lot’s altered history and spared the city of Zoar from destruction!  

Desperate people, pray desperately, and that’s what Lot was doing.  We aren’t told why Lot had a fear of living in the mountains, but it was a strong fear. “Please no my lords!”

Now I’m thinking if I’m in charge here, I’m telling Lot, “Man up!  I said I would spare the cities IF I found ten righteous, um I’m counting only four!” Out of my way!” Thankfully I’m not in charge and Lot pleads to the abundant mercy and grace of God  to grant his prayer request and spare him from mountain living and spare the city also!

Now, this is not the only intercessory prayer connected to this situation. I find it amazing that the Lord tells Lot, “I cannot do anything until you arrive in Zoar.” What? This is God, why the delay? The delay is for the sake of Abraham who had interceded for the cities earlier.

Remember?

He had whittled God down to sparing the cities if there were ten righteous people.  Were there ten? No! God had every right to destroy the whole shooting match, but the Lord knew the heart of Abraham, and Abraham’s number one concern was for his nephew Lot. So He voluntarily tied His hands until Abraham’s reluctant nephew was out of harms way! As it turns out, Abraham’s initial prayer for Lot saved the city of Zoar, and because of his prayer Zoar was allowed to have a history, as was Lot!

Abraham’s prayer, and the prayer of Lot altered history. Yes indeed, “the prayer of a righteous man availeth much!”

God doesn’t always alter history for the sake of our prayers, but I think we would all be amazed at how many times He has interceded on our behalf and altered the courses of events!  Those times that He has allowed something like a new job, a healing, safe travel, and anything else we have prayed  for to “come to pass.”  Php 4:6 says, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;”

So pray for all your concerns today. Who knows! Your prayer may be historic!

Pray: Father, sometimes we don’t pray because we somehow think it won’t make a difference. Help us to get over that. Help us to learn to pray for all things, and then let You sort it out!