The Gift of Prayer
Photo image courtesy Nancy Williams
“…praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.” – Ephesians 6:18 (NKJV)
Not long ago, a Christian friend and I shared a meal and talked about problems that troubled our lives. Before I could even ask, my friend lifted her hands and launched into an out-loud prayer over me. It was beautiful, sweet, nourishing – as if she had wrapped up a golden jar of honey and handed it to me!
When others pray for us, it’s a priceless gift of love. And it’s a huge privilege for us to pray for them as well.
As we ask God to help our friends and family instead of just praying for ourselves, it’s called “intercessory” prayer, moments when we ignore our own needs and wishes to ask Him to provide for others.
I’ve been blessed to share a weekly prayer time with several other moms for almost two decades. Though we come from different churches, we’re united under the banner of Jesus Christ.
My friends and I have joined hands in praying through all kinds of issues—education choices for our children, job searches, housing, divorce, cancer, injuries, births of grandchildren, marriages, moving, parents with Alzheimer’s, surgeries, pets, deaths, and more.
We have prayed, cried, and celebrated together with a blessing from the Holy Spirit. And for almost all needs, there is little to nothing else we can do for those caught in the crosshairs of pain and distress. But intercessory prayer isn’t a second-best offering. It’s the very best gift, a sacrifice of self-interest.
Charles Haddon Spurgeon, a preacher in 19th-century London renowned for his spellbinding sermons and timeless devotions, said this about intercessory prayer:
“Believer, thou hast a mighty engine in thy hand, use it well, use it constantly, use it with faith, and thou shalt surely be a benefactor to thy brethren. When thou hast the King’s ear, speak to Him for the suffering members of His body….let thy petitions be, not for thyself alone, but for the many who need His aid.”*
Maybe you’re struggling with a huge burden right now. I hope that, after you talk with Jesus about your own problem, you will also raise up the needs of others in your sphere. After you have prayed, send a quick note or text to the person for whom you have prayed; it’s like tying a bow of encouragement on your gift.
There is no greater privilege than to enter our Lord’s throne room and pour out your heart before Him. Even if your prayers seem faltering or inconsequential, you can be assured He hears you and that His Holy Spirit intercedes for you, even when you can’t utter all the words you wish to say. Pray for strangers, too, especially those who live in challenging places around the world where they are persecuted for following Christ.
May you find your own hope and faith strengthened in sacrificial prayer for others—a gift worth taking before the King who has the power to fill all your requests—your gift of love.
*Charles Spurgeon, Morning and Evening (Classic KJV Edition).
Questions for Reflection:
1. What are some of the promises in God’s Word about prayer?
2. How has He faithfully shown up in the past to answer your petitions?
3. Who are the friends and family members who need your prayers right now?
