Pray for Others

When we pray, we both speak to God and listen to Him speak to us. One type of prayer is intercession, which is simply praying for someone besides yourself. It is crying out to God on someone else's behalf, taking their needs to Him in prayer, and at times hearing something from Him about their situation.

Intercession is one of the most important kinds of prayer because many people do not pray for themselves or do not know how. Why? Because they have no relationship with God. There are also times when circumstances are so difficult, stress is so high, the hurt is too great, or things are so confusing that people do not know how to pray for their own situations.

And, there are times when people have prayed and prayed and prayed for themselves and they simply have no strength left to pray. For example, I once visited a friend who was in the hospital suffering with cancer. She had fought a valiant fight and prayed like a warrior, but she reached a point where she was not strong enough to pray the way she wanted to and she said, "Joyce, I just cannot pray anymore." She needed her friends to pray for her—not just to pray for her, but to really pray for her—to pray in her place because she could not.

I am sure there are people in your life who need prayer, people who need you to speak to God and hear from Him on their behalf. I encourage you to ask Him to show you who they are and to be faithful to pray for them.

Prayer of the Day: Father, guide me as I pray and intercede. Direct me to always think of others and lift up their burdens to You. Help me to listen for Your wisdom as I do for others, amen.