Praying for others
Be persistent in prayer, and keep alert as you pray, giving thanks to God. At the same time pray also for us, so that God will give us a good opportunity to preach his message about the secret of Christ. For that is why I am now in prison. Pray, then, that I may speak, as I should, in such a way as to make it clear. (verses 2-4)
In the middle of the fourth century AD there lived a young man by the name of Augustine. It seems he was a bright lad, and when he was 16 his father sent him to the city to study. He became involved in a lifestyle of idleness, sex and alcohol, and at the age of 18 he fathered a son. You can imagine how upsetting all this was to his mother, Monica, but she never gave up hope. She prayed and prayed for her wayward son. Finally, when Augustine was 32, her prayers were answered. Augustine became a bishop, a teacher and a great defender of the Christian church.
This story underlines just how important intercessory prayer is that is, prayer for others. Praying for your children, godchildren, friends, the leaders of the church and the nation is one of the most valuable things you can do for others, and it costs nothing but a few minutes each day. However, experience tells us that spending time with God in prayer is not easy to do. Our days are so busy that we can’t find time to pray. Sometimes we give up praying because we see no immediate results.
You have a God who is loving and merciful. He is waiting to hear from you and is ready to apply his loving answer to your prayer. That answer may not always come straightaway or be what you expect, but be assured that it comes from the heart of God.
Spend some time praying for others.
by Vince Gerhardy, in ‘Guidance for each Day’ (LCA, Openbook, 2002)
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