The Gift of Intercession

This quote by Alfred Lord Tennyson says a lot about the hidden benefits and qualities of prayer.  His words indicate that much is done by prayer that no one is ever really aware of.  Indeed, answered prayer is not always obvious to us because we may be expecting another answer.

However, we have been given a special gift -- the gift of interceding for one another and even those who may be unaware of our prayers on their behalf.  Intercessory prayer is a gift given to us by God.  Often we see the gift only when we are praying for someone else.  And yet I know many times when I've been the recipient of God's blessings, healing, and understanding because of the prayers of my church family, my own family, and many friends.  In Timothy 2:1-3, Paul writes to the church about intercessory prayer:

"I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and
thanksgiving be made for all people—"

In many churches today, a time is reserved during the worship service for prayer requests in the form of joys and concerns.  Many church newsletters carry lists of those in need of prayer.  If we are indeed gifted with intercessory prayer, we should be making note of these needs and lifting them to God during the coming week.

Today Beck Gambill in her Thursday Sister to Sister post references Ephesians 6:18 which speaks to praying for "all the Lord's people."  These are powerful words, and we take them to heart to strengthen the family of God and to continue His work here on earth, today and tomorrow and forever.

Won't you join me over at Beck's site today and read more of Beck's post?  Linking up with her at

http://www.beckfarfromhome.blogspot.com/



"New Every Morning"

Today I'm linking up with Beck Gambill over at Beck Far From Home.  Beck always shares amazing insights on her blog, but I especially enjoy Thursday's at Beck's place as that's the day that we come together as Sisters to share our faith together as a family.  Our word for reflection today is "new," and I immediately knew what would be the basis for my post.

Lamentations 3:22-23 are some of my favorite verses from the Bible.  As I read them, I feel washed again  each day from those trappings that layered on the day before.  Trappings of the world that I let take hold by keeping silence when I should have spoken up, by ignoring those in need when I should have helped, by shunning those who believe differently than I do.  The world's trappings . . . not supposed to be a part of me.  I'm a child of God.



But in Lamentations 3:22-23, we read, "Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." (NIV)  And his love and faithfulness are great enough that each morning we can open our eyes and face the morning knowing that his mercy, faithfulness and love will rain down on us again and again as we need to be made new again.  Like the dewdrops on the grass, each part of me sparkles as I start the day ready to serve him and blissful that he has made me afresh for this new day.  New, newness, newly made . . . don't you just love those three letters n-e-w?  They say so much about our relationship with our God when we believe on his Word.

http://www.brokenman.wordpress.com/







Pray Unceasingly

My mama was one of four women who met when they were young wives and soon-to-be mamas.  Their friendships lasted until the first died in early 2001.  Then Mama died in October 2001, leaving two of this foursome still living.  They met in Nashville, TN, and had much in common besides being young wives and almost mamas.  Each of them had a strong faith, although they attended different denominations.  Each of them were native-born Tennesseans, but not from the same city or town.  They loved their lives and who they were. 

When those four babies were born, we became a foursome too.  While our mamas talked and chatted over lunch, we would play off to one side.  As I grew older, I would listen to their words and conversations.  It soon became apparent that they had one more thing in common -- prayer.  I could hear them asking each other to pray for this one, or that one, or some family in need, or someone in the hospital.  And the answer was always yes. 

In 1967, I married my first husband and we moved into a home not far from one of these four women.  Her name was Anne.  I could walk my baby son, born in 1971, right to her home.  And I did.  One day I asked Anne to talk with me about her prayer life.  She responded with, "There's not much to tell.  I just pray all day long."  I think I must have given her a strange look because she laughed and pointed out that she did do other things, but that if something or someone popped into her mind that was instruction from God for her to pray right then and there, even if she was driving. 

I thought about this long and hard, and with a young one on my hip and bottles and diapers (days before good disposables!) I was struggling with finding a good time to pray.  I took out my Bible and started reading about prayer.  That's when that short little verse of Scripture was shown to me:

"Pray without ceasing."

1 Thessalonians 5:17 (KJV)

It isn't likely that my prayer time is constant all day long, but I do try to keep my heart and mind attuned to God's nudges, and like Anne, when someone or some issue pops into my mind during the day, I say a quiet prayer to my Heavenly Father letting Him know that I understand that He needs for us to bring prayers before Him.

No matter how you pray, just remember to pray.  God loves for us to come to Him with our needs and the needs of others.

Linking up with Beck Gambill today at