Receive (20 mins):
Open your time in prayer. Ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you.
Listen to this devotion on Psalm 17 (The reading is included. Follow along in your Bible.)
Spend some time in personal reflection and prayer. (5 mins)
Share with the group what God has been speaking to you. Is there a challenge for you? Have you been impressed with a particular characteristic of God? (10 mins).
Pray together, responding to what God has been showing you in this Psalm. (5 mins)
Read (20 mins):
Read Genesis 18:20-33
Have you come across sin that you would describe as “grievous”? What have you felt to be the appropriate response?
What is your gut response to the judgement of God? Is there a difference between your response to God’s judgement of “those people” and God’s judgment of “me/my people”?
How do we see God’s holy righteousness and merciful love play out in His response to Abraham’s intercession?
Abraham is clearly concerned for the fate, not only of Lot and his family, but of the city in general. This concern is what motivates his intercession. Abraham also approaches God in a unique way: both very carefully and with somewhat wild abandon.
In what ways can/should we intercede on behalf of “Sodom”? How might our hearts need to change so that we would be both motivated towards intercession and able to approach God rightly?
Respond (20 mins):
Spend a few minutes in personal reflection. What is the Holy Spirit impressing on your heart? (3 mins)
Take time to share how the Holy Spirit is challenging you. How can you be accountable to each other? Consider keeping a record for the purposes of prayer and accountability. (12 mins)
Pray for each other. (5 mins)