Precious Moments That Count For EternitySample

An Unusual Intercessor

Through my years of growing up in church, I have been to several prayer meetings for the church, the city and the nation. Through careful observation of my own prayers, I have often seen that sometimes I have prayed without really connecting with the challenge that I am praying for. Sometimes I find my own prayers monotonous and duty-bound. Hence, when I read this story of Nehemiah, it left me startled, amazed and challenged about my time as an intercessor. Let me share why.
Firstly, Nehemiah had a successful career, serving in the Persian Empire as a cupbearer to the king. He was therefore, very successful, influential and at a high point in his life. Yet his heart yearned for his people - the Jews, who had returned from exile to Jerusalem. When he heard that they were not doing too well, he…
a) ‘Identified’ with the plight of the people, though he was far away from them. He stood before God as one of them, asking God to forgive them all. He wasn’t critical or judgmental of the people.
b) He took ‘ownership’ of the problem. His intercession was action-oriented. He did whatever was in his power to change the situation. He risked his career by asking the king for permission to go. He gathered all his resources to solve the problem. He did not simply stop at praying.
I have since been challenged that intercession need not be something I do in private; it can and must be accompanied by my action, wherever I can, to help the problems that I am praying for. I have also learnt that I must have a passion and genuinely care for the people that I pray for.

Prayer
God, help my prayers not just be empty words and duty-bound. Help me get up and make things happen, relying on You always. In Jesus’ name. Amen.