What are prayers of “intercession”?
March 27, 2009
What are prayers of “intercession”?
What are prayers of petition?
Prayers of intercession are prayers that are offered on behalf of other people. Prayer is a bond between people. Praying for others is a way of affirming the body of Christ. Prayers of intercession are powerful! The Bible records that weather changed, people were released from prison, and enemies were defeated.
Do those around you have needs, concerns, or health problems? If so, pray on their behalf. The Bible gives us several examples of intercessory prayer. Here are a few: One of the earliest examples of this type of prayer is found in Genesis 18 when Abraham pleaded with God for the well-being of the people of Sodom. Instead of being overcome with his own needs, Abraham prayed for those around him. Moses is also known for interceding on behalf of others throughout his life. In fact, Pharaoh requested that Moses pray for him in Exodus 8:28, "Pharaoh said, ‘I will let you go to offer sacrifices to the LORD your God in the desert, but you must not go very far. Now pray for me. Moses prayed for others with urgency and boldness. In Philippians 1:9-11, Paul prayed for the believers: "And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ – to the glory and praise of God."
Petitions are requests that we make to God. Requests on behalf of ourselves, others, or for different situations. There are seven petitions or requests in Lord’s Prayer. When we are unsure how to pray for another, look at prayers of scripture or the Lord’s Prayer, and use those as your guide.
“The Disciplines of Lent”
March 27, 2009
“The Disciplines of Lent”
We are in good company during the forty-day journey of Lent. Lent begins on February 6th, Ash Wednesday, and during these 40 days we keep company with many faithful servants of God. Servants like Noah and his family who were in the ark for 40 days and nights. Moses who was on the mountain 40 days (Exodus 24:18). We keep company with Elijah and Jesus who were in the wilderness for forty days (Matthew 4:2).We keep company with the Jewish nation as they were in the wilderness for 40 years. 40 days were involved in the story of Jonah and Nineveh (Jonah 3:4). There were 40 days between Jesus’ resurrection and ascension (Acts 1:3). The season of Lent is good time for us to reread these stories and reflect on our journey with Christ.
The liturgy for Ash Wednesday begins with the following: “As followers of Christ we are called to struggle against everything that leads us away from the love of God and neighbor. Repentance, fasting, prayer, and works of love, -the disciples of Lent- help us to wage our spiritual warfare.” I invite you to commit yourselves the disciplines of Lent and pondering what leads you away from Christ.
May this be our prayer for Lent:
Merciful God, you formed us out of the dust of the earth; you freed us in the waters of baptism. Look with mercy upon us during these 40 days. Guide us on our journey through the desert of Lent. May our fasting deepen our hunger for justice. May our prayer open us to your gracious presence. May our works of love enlarge our desire to serve the poor and needy. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, who suffered and died so we would know of your love. Amen.
