I have been thinking about prayer lately, especially after reading Richard. J. Fosters book "Prayer: Finding the Hearts True Home". I believe out of all the books I have read on prayer, his books says a lot that is in connection with my own heart and also brought up many points I had not thought about before in my meanderings concerning prayer.
I think prayer, like anything else in our frail human existence, is prone to sin, prone to deception, and is prone to our own selfish ways. Ironically, because prayer is such a spiritual matter, rarely does anyone question the manner in which they pray. How can the communication between me and my creators become corrupted, how can it become prideful and selfish? I think we live in a "me, I, deserve" generation. We have our fast lines, our drive-through, our ordering online... we have our texting and instance messaging. Everything we do is quick and easy as technology has helped jump us forward, sadly only to confuse us by making us busier or injecting boredom into our lives as we wait and no longer know how to exist in a state if we are not constantly in motion. Prayer helps us learn patience, not just the patience to wait on God but also the patience to quiet down our lives enough to listen to God, if we even find enough time in our life to pray to God.
However, even in our prayer life we have become disillusioned at how selfish and prideful we are in our life. When we come to God, we come into his presence to thank him for the day, to thank him for what he has done in our life, and to petition him toward the future. Notice a trend going on? Everything we tend to pray for is about ourselves. Very little of what and how we pray involves praying for others. In my own prayer life I try to balance this by praying for others before myself, something that not that easy to do when you are going through a tough time and want instant answers, as most of us do.
Lately I have been thinking about Intercessory Prayer a lot more because it is praying on behalf of others, yet there is something more intimate about this type of praying then merely saying a name on a list and sharing a phrase-problem with God. Intercessory Prayer is deeper than that, it is praying to God for a friend or family member, someone you have an intimate connection with, you pray in your suffering and into their own suffering over their life and situation. In this type of prayer you are bringing another soul, wounded Christian or suffering human, before God. It is as if you are picking them up, holding that person suffering in your arms, and walking them before the throne of Christ Jesus.
Of course, in many of our churches we pray for others, but I think it lacks the depth because we pray for others we are not connected with. Rarely in churches and small groups do we pray for those who are in the room and close to us, but we pray for the friends or relatives of those in the room, meaning we rarely find that wonderful intimacy between ourselves and our other brothers and sisters in Christ. Usually, I believe we do not pray in this manner because we are afraid to open up and someone might use our weaknesses and concerns against us. Many times we also do not get enough information; we get only a phrase and do not get the full extent of how they know this person and why this request concerns them so deeply. Personally, I enjoy long prayer request from others longer than a phrase or sentence... more information helps me to plead before Christ and try to put myself in their place of suffering. Still, do not think that I am immune to praying only for myself (Sadly, when I do actually pray). I am like everyone else who feels my own concerns first and must push past my own life into the lives of others. I think this is the only way we ever feel the compassion of Christ toward others who need to see his love and goodness, while at the same time gain wisdom and boldness in helping our own brothers and sisters stay strong and persevere in the faith.
In the end, I feel the need for myself, and all Christians, to be more mindful of others who are suffering in some way, who are feeling lost, alone, confused... Who need jobs and clarity, who have family members who are ill, who need help in clarifying their calling, and those who need help paying their bills. We live in a selfish world and the least we can do is not let that selfishness infect our communication between us and God.
~ Daniel
Other Links:
http://www.allaboutprayer.org/intercessory-prayer.htm
http://www.gotquestions.org/intercessory-prayer.html
http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/0404.htm
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