Wednesday, December 21, 2016

"To Intercede"


"To Intercede"   


     Born again believers in the Lord Jesus Christ play a vital role in each others lives as walking with God involves walking with each other.  

    "So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and members of each other" (Romans 12:5).
    "We are laborers together with God" (I Corinthians 3:9).

    Such relationship and fellowship involves our praying for each other.  Our Heavenly Father calls us to His throne of grace to intercede for brothers and sisters, promising that He works in their lives in response to our requests for them.  Consider the enormity of this privileged responsibility: the infinite and almighty God grants access through Christ for the seeking of His realized presence, involvement, and action on behalf of one another.  He promises to answer as we intercede in accordance with His glory and will.  How many workings of His hand in our lives have thus resulted from fellow believers bowing upon their knees?  How many of our prayers for brothers and sisters led to God's actions for their benefit that He would not otherwise have administered?  We cannot know the extent of such grace in their lives or ours.  We can only know the certainty that prayers for each other move the heart and hand of God to act in love toward His children, and our brothers and sisters.

   The Lord Jesus prayed accordingly during His earthly lifetime.  As we respond to the moving of His Spirit within our hearts, we will reflect His heart of intercessory devotion to fellow believers.  "God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying Abba Father" (Galatians 4:6).  We will not see how or how much our Father does in response to our prayers.  It is not necessary or even beneficial that we do.  It is, however, necessary and beneficial that we believe and respond to our high calling of consistently approaching the Throne of grace for one another.  Indeed, what might the Lord do today for those for whom we pray?  What grace might shine in the faces of loved ones because we mentioned their names and presented their hearts unto our Father?  How might His love be better known as the Holy Spirit works in the lives of brothers and sisters in response to our intercession?  Again, we cannot know what the Lord does as He answers our prayers for each other.  We can only know that He does great and mighty things because we call upon Him in the others-devoted love of Christ.  He promises to do so, and He cannot fail to faithfully answer as we faithfully pray for one another.  What a gift and privilege!  What a duty and responsibility!  And what grace shines upon our face because we love each other by praying for each other.

"We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints, for the hope which is laid up for you in Heaven."
(Colossians 1:3-5)

Weekly Memory Verse
    And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.
(Luke 2:10-11)
   
    
  
   


No comments: