Intercessor
Quote from Ronald Dunn: Intercession is not petition.
Intercession is position. It is not something we do – it is something we are. it is not an exercise we engage in at a certain time of day – it is a life we live.
Richard Foster: By means of intercessory prayer God extends to each of us a personalized, hand engraved invitation to become intimately involved in laboring for the well being of others.
Moses: Exodus 32:11-12
11 But Moses sought the favor of the Lord his God. “Lord,” he said, “why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intent that he brought them out, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth’? Turn from your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster on your people.
Exodus 32:31-34
31 So Moses went back to the Lord and said, “Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold. 32 But now, please forgive their sin—but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written.”33 The Lord replied to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book. 34 Now go, lead the people to the place I spoke of, and my angel will go before you. However, when the time comes for me to punish, I will punish them for their sin.”
Queen Beatrix said in a Christmas address: “You see things differently through eyes that have wept.”
Romans 9:1-5
1 I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit— 2 I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race, 4 the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. 5 Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised![a] Amen.
The Challenge: To understand the needs of the people for whom we pray while simultaneously knowing the heart of God. Intercession joins both parts together.
Footnotes
a. Romans 9:5 Or Messiah, who is over all. God be forever praised! Or Messiah. God who is over all be forever praised!