I agree what a great example of confidence and his amazing persistence in prayer. He continues to ask the Lord, 6 times. So often I find myself looking for the answer to my prayer, I'm not always persistently praying to the Lord. The Bible says "Pray without ceasing." How easily I give up. Sometimes I find myself falling into the instant gratification category. Asking God and not seeing the answer right away, I say, oh, I guess He didn't want that for me. When actually He wants me to keep asking Him for it.

I know you already hit on this too, but I'll repeat how nice it is to know that the Lord wants us to ask Him for things. There are so many things that He wants us to turn to Him. The Lord even wants us to go to Him for the things that He has already promised to give us. Sometimes I forget those things when saying a prayer, this is something the Lord wants for me, I don't need to say "if it is Your will" here. I like the verses 17-19 in this chapter, where the Lord, know all things, says should I tell Abraham that I am going to destory Sodom. It was almost like a test for Abraham. The Lord wanted Abraham to plea for Sodom. May I go to the Lord in prayer when I am tested too.

Tamar, thanks for the comments on the beginning section, I didn't really look at it that way. I was a little more focused on Sarah's laugh. I often doubt what the Lord has planned for me.