Then Abraham spoke up again: “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes, what if the number of the righteous is five less than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five people?” 

(Genesis 18:27-28, NIV) 

God has many names: 

• Yahweh – I AM 

• Adonai – Lord 

• Elohim – God 

And God has many descriptive terms used next to his name: 

• Omniscient – all knowing 

• Omnipresent – all present 

• Omnipotent – all powerful 

But I often wonder what words can be found to describe God, ever close.  

If you have read the book of Genesis in the Bible, you may be familiar with a character named firstly, Abram, then later renamed, Abraham. 

Abraham walked with God and had a very close relationship with Him. Abraham would build altars to honour the Lord, make offerings and inquire of the Lord.  

But I wonder if there is any interaction so intimate as the one where Abraham almost barters with God…  

There is an account in the Bible where, after hearing the outcry from Sodom and Gomorrah, the Lord comes down to investigate the matter for Himself… 

Then the Lord said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is immense, and their sin is extremely serious. I will go down to see if what they have done justifies the cry that has come up to me. If not, I will find out.” 

(Genesis 18:20-21, CSB) 

As the men turn toward Sodom, Abraham perceives what the Lord may do and begins to intercede for the place. 

What is striking about the intercession of Abraham is that five times He manages to change God’s mind about the treatment of Sodom.  

He barters God down from 50 righteous people to only 10 found in the city as righteous! 

At each of the 5 stages of bartering it seems that God is listening and considering His friend’s proposals, not simply dictating His own will and judgement regardless. 

Friends, this raises a very important reminder for us – God can be spoken with! 

Now, I am not suggesting that we will always hear an audible voice of God, nor that we will be privy to the kind of intercession that was taking place that fateful day. But what I do want to remind us of is that we are participators in our destinies, not passive spectators.  

If you have a request to make of God and you sense His push back, talk to Him! 

Arguing and demanding your own way are not healthy approaches to take with the Father, but careful and respectful conversation – I believe – honours a true relationship with God.  

John 15:15 in the NIV says this: 

I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.   

Living in the Church age makes us friends of God, not servants. 

Let us approach our Heavenly Father with respect – yes. Reverence – absolutely. But also, with boldness as a child does with their beloved parent.  

We are made for this kind of relationship, let’s live in it.