“The prayers of the congregation are requested for…” “Does anyone have a prayer request?” Those are familiar words to church people. The Old Testament lesson to be read in many churches on Sunday tells of Abraham’s repeated requests for God to spare wicked Sodom for the sake of the righteous. Moral? That we should be more persistent in prayer. Good enough, Jesus “told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not to lose heart” (Luke 18:1-8).
When you’re going through a tough slog, a friend might say, “I’m praying for you.” Sunday I’ll be preaching in St. James, Missouri, but not about Abraham praying for Sodom. I’ll speak about the most important “I’m praying for you” that we have, Jesus is praying for you and me. “He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25).
“He lives to bless me with His love; He lives to plead for me above;
He lives my hungry soul to feed; He lives to help in time of need.
“He lives, my kind, wise, heav’nly friend; He lives and loves me to the end;
He lives and while He lives, I’ll sing; He lives, my Prophet, Priest, and King.”
A faithful priest or pastor prays for the people in his care. Our perfect Priest prayed for Peter. “I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail” (Luke 22:32). He is praying now for His Church. “I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours” (John 17:9). His prayers for you and me give us a clear conscience. “Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us” (Romans 8:34). “We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1).
Why don’t we take more comfort and courage from this truth, Jesus is alive, exalted, and praying for you and me? Maybe because we think of Jesus mainly as Bible history. If you and I would think more often that He is praying for us right now, we will, like Abraham, become more persistent in prayer.