Our Exquisite Honor

image credit: Kid Shot

This morning, as I sat down to pray, in my still dark and quiet house, I began to hurt for those in my heart who are hurting today. My heart broke for the mama whose six year old daughter will find out today if she is facing cancer for the third time - and they already know that the third time means terminal. My heart ached for my friends who are struggling with infertility - and putting their bodies through extreme measures in order to fulfill the deep seeded desires of their hearts. My heart hurt for my friends who have been waiting for more than 18 months to meet the little boy who God has given them to complete their family. I am overwhelmed by the relationships and marriages that are under attack - and there seems to be hopelessness instead of hopefulness. I feel that everywhere I look, there is sickness - in babies and husbands and grandmas and grandpas and friends. I am filled with the memories of loss as friends are waking up this morning with an emptiness that yesterday had been occupied by life and now the burden of death is weighing heavy upon them. I was once again arrested by the very real certainty of just how finite our lives are.

We are guaranteed very little in this life. But we are guaranteed to experience hardships, pain, and death. And in my experience, we are never fully prepared for any of these.

But our Lord Jesus is prepared. He too experienced hardships and pain and death - and He has conquered them all by living a life without sin, dying the death of a sinner, and then was raised back to life, defeating sin and death forever. And it is in this - and only this - that we can have hope in the midst of our realities of hardships and pain and death.

Anytime I have the opportunity to pray for someone else, I find it to be an exquisite honor. Sometimes I am joining them in their prayers. Sometimes I am lifting them up in my prayers. Sometimes I am interceding on their behalf, because they no longer have the strength to pray.

My attitude toward prayer was forever changed by these words I read several years ago.

Interceding for others in not only our responsibility, but also our exquisite honor...

it builds community as it divinely attaches you to those for whom you are praying.

~Kelly Minter~

It painful to jump in the fire with people. But this is God's design. We are meant to battle together. We are meant to hurt for others. We are meant to be divinely attached to those we are praying for. The Apostle Paul writes to the Romans, "Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep" (Romans 12:5). 

When we pray for others, we have the opportunity to stand in the gap between them and God. We pray the words they can no longer utter. We pray for them, and our prayers are heard. He hears our prayers. He is listening even if there is silence.

We may not always understand what God is doing (I rarely do). We may not have fancy words to say (I rarely do). We may feel like we are not doing enough. But friends, this is what God impressed upon me this morning. We don't need to understand in order to encourage. We don't need fancy words to pray on someone's behalf. We don't need to do much to make a difference. We just need to go to God - to lean on Him - to trust in His faithfulness - to allow His peace and comfort and goodness to surround those who are facing hardships and pain and death.

The Lord tells us in Psalm 46, "Be still, and know that I am God" (46:10)

He tells us in Isaiah that "they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength..." (Isaiah 40:31)

We are reminded in Deuteronomy and again in Joshua to "be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread...for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you" (Deuteronomy 31:6; Joshua 1:5-9).

Jump in and do life with others. You'll get singed. But you'll never be alone. You will face hardships. You will suffer the pains of this world. You will experience death. But you will never be alone.  

If you are praying for someone, let them know. Tell them. Give them encouragement and hope.

***It must be noted that as I was writing I received a text saying the MRI was CLEAR of any cancer. There is power in prayer. There is power in interceding for others. Who needs you to pray for them?*** 

***It must also be noted that as I wrote these words, another friend texted me, asking for prayer for her friend's mother who was passing away. And only moments later she informed me that this precious life was now with Jesus. He still heard our prayers. But this life He healed in eternity.***