His Prayer Changed a Nation

Within days of promising to always obey God's command not to make an idol, the Israelites formed and worshiped the golden calf. This angered God enough to destroy the entire nation. But before He did that "He made his ways known to Moses" (Psalm 103:7).

God confided in Moses what He, as a just God, must do. Sin must be punished by death. I think God revealed His plan to Moses to determine if Moses would pray the prayer that could prevail--the prayer that would change history.

It appears that God would rather show mercy than punish for sins. When God could find an intercessor who prayed for God's name to be honored, He changed directions.

Notice how Moses prayed: "Overlook the stubbornness of this people, their wickedness and their sin. Otherwise, the country from which you brought us will say, 'Because the Lord was not able to take them into the land he had promised them, and because he hated them, he brought them out to put them to death in the desert'" (Deuteronomy 9:28).

Moses' desires were not about personal gain, power, prestige, or his own honor. What concerned him more was the honor of God. He cared how God would look to those around them.

God answered Moses' prayer. "I withdrew my judgment against them to protect the honor of my name" (Ezekiel 20:22 NLT).

When we pray for personal concerns, are we most eager for God to receive glory no matter what honor, privilege, or comfort we must release? As we pray for our nation, we must put aside our selfish purposes and be concerned for the honor of God. God's name is being profaned when His people live below what He provided through the atonement.

Dear Father, give me a passionate concern for the honor of Yourname so I pray for what will bring You the most glory.

"Then the Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened" (Exodus 32:14).