“And Abraham came near and said, ‘Would You…?’” (Genesis 18:23).

Interceeding for the righteous residing in Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham spoke with God, saying, “Would You destroy the righteous with the wicked?”  Waiting not for God’s reply, he confidently answered, “Far be it from You to do such a thing…far be it from You!”  His confidence was not in himself, but in God’s right judgments.  Abraham knew some things about God.  He knew God to be the Judge of all the earth, and he knew God to do right.  Abraham had full confidence in these aspects of God’s character, and he staked his request upon them. 

Who is able to pray with Abraham-like confidence?  Those who search the scriptures to know God, who meditate on His precepts and contemplate His ways so that with their own lips they declare the judgments of His mouth, these have confidence in prayer. 

Abraham’s prayer, and God’s answer, affirms for us that unwavering faith in our “Would You, God?” prayers is nothing to do with the certainty of our desires, but with the certain character of God.  If before I utter a prayer I consider what I know to be true of God, some prayers will never be uttered.