Living Stones – Tuesday, November 7, 2017
Pray for me
Ephesians 6:18, 19
“… being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— and for me …”
I don’t know about you, but I have gone through many moments of shame or embarrassment when, having promised to pray for someone, I didn’t, then I bump into them in the street.
I believe that I was sincere when I made the promise to pray, but, unlike some diligent people, I didn’t make a note, or I don’t keep up with my journal and so as soon as I walked away that promised slipped my mind. There are many people like me, I am as sure of that as I am sure I was sincere when I made the promise to pray.
In addition to our indiscipline or lack of organisation, there are many reasons why we don’t pray for others as we should. Chief among them is selfishness.
Some may recoil at the thought of being described as selfish, but selfishness is more common than you may think. Selfishness does not mean that you are necessarily acting against the interest of others, it just means that you are, in an unholy way, only obsessed with your own interests.
As we have framed prayer in warfare terms, we need to be aware that, while every now and then in war a soldier gets isolated and has to fight for his life on his own, war is a team activity where my life is dependent on you and yours on me.
About four weeks ago an American story captured the headlines. A US Army Special Forces Team and 30 Nigerien Soldiers were ambushed by local militants in a remote corner of Niger, West Africa. Four of the Americans got separated from the larger group. About two hours later as the firefight was dying down, French helicopters moved in and rescued 7 of the 11 Americans. 4 Americans were inexplicably left behind.
That story is not going to be left behind any time soon. Not in the United States of America. No one gets left behind. They get out with their wounded and their dead. Just watch Black Hawk Down. The movie recounts the events of another American mission gone bad in Africa. However, it shows the Americans, under fire in failing light and a deteriorating set of circumstances, focused on ensuring that no one gets left behind. In war, I am my brother’s keeper.
Talking to the Christian at war, the combination of armour and weapons described by Paul in verses 14 to 18 of Ephesians 6 include a belt, a breastplate, shoes, a shield, a helmet, a sword (the scriptures) and prayer.
According to the Apostle here, our prayer weapon must be in use constantly as “praying always.” Our prayer weapon must also be intense as praying with “all prayer and supplication.” Our prayer weapon must be guided by the Spirit since, as we have observed, we are in a warfare in the realm of the spirit.
Then we are instructed about how this weapon is to be deployed, “being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— and for me.” We should be watchful and persevering for all the saints. All the saints?
Yes, all the saints. We need to keep the promise to pray for the old lady you promised with the sweet-sounding words, “I’ll pray for you.” We need to pray for the members of the church we attend, we need to get to know them well enough that we could be supporting them in prayer. We need to be aware of what is happening in different places in the world, especially those places where it is dangerous and life-threatening to be a Christian, and pray for them. And, I could stick one in here like Paul in the passage and say, and pray for me.
The instructions are clear about our prayer responsibility for the others on the battle field with us. But we get selfish. Prayer time is so often, for many, our wish list of current wants and desires that we are unable to express before God, any genuine concern for the others on this battlefield.
Helen Baylor has a song titled Wounded Soldier, here is verse two and the chorus.
Obeying their orders
They fought on the frontline for our King
Tearing down enemy strongholds
Then weakened from battle
Satan crept in to kill their lives
But don’t let a wounded soldier die, oh, no, no
Come let us pour the oil
Come let us bind their hurt
Let’s cover them with a blanket of His love
Come let us break the bread
Come let us give them a little rest
Let’s minister healing to them
Don’t let another wounded soldier die, no, no, no
Think on these things:
- Do you make promises to pray for others and then don’t?
- Do you think that you give adequate time to praying for others – family, friends, church members, ministers?
- Are you familiar with the struggles of Christians in difficult and dangerous parts of the world?
Prayer focus:
Let us pray today that we would build stronger relationships in our community of faith.
In His Grace
Pastor Alex