Thinking about prayer, Part 2. What can we learn from how God responds to the requests of his chosen and adopted kids?

(This is the second in a short series, you might want to read Part 1 first, A Friend Who Cares About My Heart).

In 2 Peter 2:7-9, Peter says, “… if [God] rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men (for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds), then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly …”.

It seems pretty clear that Peter believed Lot was a fellow Christian – a man made righteous by grace alone, through faith alone, in God alone. Yet it is also very clear that Lot is a man who made a lifetime of bad choices (see Gen 13-14, 19). At one point that I want to focus on here he found himself and his family in a town so arrogantly defying God that God decided to destroy it.

… the two [angels] said to Lot, “… we are about to destroy this place, because their outcry has become so great before the Lord that the Lord has sent us to destroy it.” … When morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Up, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away in the punishment of the city.” But he hesitated. So the men seized his hand and the hand of his wife and the hands of his two daughters, for the compassion of the Lord was upon him; and they brought him out, and put him outside the city. When they had brought them outside, one said, “Escape for your life! … But Lot said to them, “Oh no, my lords! Now behold, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have magnified your lovingkindness, which you have shown me by saving my life; but I cannot escape to the mountains, for the disaster will overtake me and I will die; now behold, this town is near enough to flee to … Please, let me escape there … that my life may be saved.” He said to him, “Behold, I grant you this request also, not to overthrow the town of which you have spoken.”  (Genesis19:12-22)

Lot was so slow to follow the Lord’s command to leave the city that God’s messengers had to drag him and his family by the hand out of the town.  When clear of the city the angels pointed the way of escape but Lot said – Oh no! That’s too far, I can’t make it there before you destroy the city.  Please let me go to this little nearby town instead. Perhaps he was lazy or out of shape or maybe even a bit disbelieving that the destruction would be as bad as the angels were implying.

So let’s pause here and return to the point – a study of how God responds to the prayers of his people.  After all Lot had done in personal disobedience and disbelief, in leading his family astray by his example, in living his entire life (as far as we know) in a selfish way and disregarding the heart of his God, nevertheless “the compassion of the Lord was upon him” and God granted his request. (This is a good place to remind you that Peter referred to Lot as ‘that righteous man.”)

Is that not a wonderful example of a parent’s heart for their kids?  I am a father and likely many of you also have children.  Can you not relate?  No matter what they have done I can hear myself saying something like, “Oh for Pete’s sake! Ok, ok, I’ll give you what you are asking for.” I know that my mother and Sandy’s parents have done that for us.

It’s clear to me that God doesn’t always say yes to my requests.  Oftentimes I’m not even aware (or sensitive enough to hear) that he has answered at all.  But I think I’ve assumed and have been told that if I’m not in perfect alignment with him, if my heart is not right, if there is any sin in my life, then God won’t hear me and definitely won’t give me what I’m asking for.  Especially if it’s a selfish request based on my laziness or disbelief.

Yet, if I am understanding this event correctly, that’s exactly what God did for Lot.

For me personally, the lesson of this ancient event is not that God will grant any request that I have, no matter the circumstances.  It is more about his heart.  My Papa-Father is ALWAYS my father.  His heart is always compassionate towards me, he always sees me through the eyes of a loving, patient and understanding father, who always does what is in my long term best-interest.  He loves, cares for and even likes me the same way I do my children – but 1000x more so.

Praise God!