The Need for Intercessors
Let's look closely at Jesus' parable of the neighbour to teach us more about intercession. Jesus said: "Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him'" (Luke 11:5-6).
Understanding the Story's Characters
There are three people here: the main character (you), the friend who came to visit (the person who needs prayer), and the friend who has bread (God).
Think about what Jesus is saying here. There are people in your life who need bread that you can't provide. They need you to go to God for them and say "Lord I do not have what it takes to help this person! But You do. Please provide the bread!"
When We Reach Our Limits
I remember feeling this way in hospital after my surgery a few years ago. I made friends with a guy who'd had a motorbike accident. One day he was hoping the doctor would say he could go home. The doctor looked at his wound and said "no way, you are not ready to leave here yet." It devastated him.
I shared some prayer with him, then went to the chapel and wrote a song which goes like this:
Lord I lift my friend to You now,
I just don't know what else to do.
I have no power of my own here,
I can only leave him with You.
He needed bread that I couldn't give. So I went to the one who could provide what he needed.
Do you see how this parable teaches us to intercede? There are so many situations where we don't have power to help. So we intercede, because we believe God will provide.
When people in your life are sick, yes you can care for them, but God is the healer. When people face crisis, yes you can listen and help, but only God can truly heal. When people don't know God, you can show His love, but only God can save. So you must intercede!
And remember, prayer is effective. In John 17 Jesus asked and pleaded with the Father to make changes in the disciples' lives. If prayer doesn’t do anything than Jesus would have just said to God the Father “OK Father, you know what your will is, and that’s that.” But Jesus prayed for God to do something, and God did!
There is a great need for intercessors, who will ask God for bread for their friends. Will you answer the call, and pray for others?
