A Peace of My Mind

Yesterday, I watched a video in which a woman prayed for this doped-up man on the streets of NY. He asked to be freed from his drug/substance abuse. He was so out of it, he wasn’t even cognizant of what was going on, only that he didn’t want to feel that way. She asked him what he wanted. He stated he wanted to feel free. And so she prayed for him. By the end of the video, he was sobered up and praising God. Odd, I thought. Not that God “healed” him, but that this woman was willing to pray like that. Why don’t I?

And I said to God, the reason I don’t pray for people like that is because I never know whether He’ll come through or not, and I’ll end up looking like a fool. She stepped up to the plate and prayed for him. Honorable. Loving. Wow.

… So why am I so worried about looking like a fool? Seems so shallow, superficial, vain. Yikes… vanity. A sad realization.

I left for work this morning, taking with me mental replays of the videos chronicling recent Iranian riots on YouTube. My thoughts turned to those for whom the violence and chaos have brought unexpected pain and turmoil into their homes, of Neda who lost gave her life for the right to protest–a cause that now cries her name, of those who hunger and suffer in silence unknown to the rest of the world. I don’t know these people.

I don’t “intercede”. I think about them, and even mention a line or two in prayer, but I don’t intercede for them. Of course, I am aware of the intellectual understanding of the term “intercessory prayer”. But perhaps the head is as far as it goes for me. I confess, I rarely intercede. I don’t intercede because of my vanity, partly. I couldn’t be bothered. No one will notice. I won’t even know if my intercession is answered.

But intercession is not about me.

There’s a difference between “praying for someone” and “interceding on someone’s behalf”. I cannot imagine anything more Christ-like than to intercede for someone else. Intercession requires so much more of oneself. My heart, my mind, my imagination, my zealous faith, my purity in Christ, my devotion, my love — to be that “spokesperson” or “prayer person” for another before God Almighty.

When someone cannot pray for themselves, or when they do not have the words to pray, then let we, who are in Christ, stand in their stead and make their petitions to our Loving Father on their behalf in the name of Jesus.

There are many who know not how, know not when, know not what to pray; what greater privilege we can enjoy than to stand as their intercessor.

Just as that woman who stood on the streets of NY prayed for that man who made it about him and not her, she witnessed God’s freedom for him.

Identify one person for whom you can intercede today. Honor them and make it their special day as you petition to God in Jesus’ name for them.