Theme of the Week: Praying for Others
Bible Verse: “I thank my God every time I remember you.” Philippians 1:3
Scripture Reading: Luke 11:5-8
Today’s Scripture reading portrays a friend-in-the-middle who has a friend-in-need and another friend who has what the friend-in-need is asking for. He cannot provide what the friend-in-need asks, so he pleads boldly with his friend-with-bread until he receives what he requests.
Once received, he carries it back to the friend-in-need. He is a go-between. He is standing in the gap that exists between he who needs, and he who can give. This is intercession: standing in the gap. Intercessors labour before God – the Friend-With-Bread – and plead with him on behalf of those who need the Bread of Heaven.
Intercessory prayer is of prime importance. People need our intercessory prayers. Many are hurting, lonely, isolated, unsaved, families are dysfunctional, marriages are in trouble, churches are struggling. They need what only God can give. And God chooses to give his gifts in response to our prayers for others. As much we need to pray for ourselves, we also need to pray for others as an act of self-giving love and blessing them.
Here’s a quote from the book Love to Pray[mfn]Love to Pray, Alvin VanderGriend, PrayerShop Publishing, 2008.[/mfn], which captures the importance of intercessory prayer: “Things will happen when we pray that wouldn’t have happened if we hadn’t prayed. And things will not happen if we do not pray that would have happened if we had prayed.”
You may have to read it a few times – maybe read it out loud to grasp the significance of it.
Are you willing to stand in the gap? Ask God to start preparing your heart and a list of those whom he wants you to intercede for.
Copyright © 2020 Impactus | Promise Keepers Canada. All rights reserved.
About
