Dust and Ashes
“And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:”Genesis 18:27 (KJV)
Abraham’s prayer for Sodom is bold. He keeps going back: fifty, forty and five, forty, thirty, twenty, ten. But right in the middle of all that boldness, he says something very humble. “Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes.”
Both things are true at once. He knows he is dust. And he keeps asking. He doesn’t confuse humility with silence. He knows who he is speaking to, and that is exactly why he dares to ask.
Look at the steps down. Five, then five, then ten, ten and ten. Abraham’s requests got smaller, but his confidence grew. And every time, God said yes.
There is a better intercessor than Abraham now. Hebrews says Jesus “is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.” We pray as dust and ashes, and we pray with confidence, because he is praying for us too.
Count it yourself
Abraham stepped down from 50 to 10: −5, −5, −10, −10, −10 (Genesis 18:24–32). He asked 6 times, and the LORD said yes 6 times.
Do you hold back from praying boldly because you feel small? What would it look like to pray as Abraham did?
Lord, I am dust and ashes, and you are the Judge of all the earth. Thank you that Jesus intercedes for me. Teach me to pray with humble boldness. Amen.