Jesus prays for us- "he always lives to make intercession for [us]" (Heb. 7:25). The verb is in the present tense. This is the most important thing to know about prayer, not that we should pray or how we should pray but that Jesus is right now praying for us (see also Heb. 4:16 and John 17).
Eugene Peterson, Eat This Book: A Conversation in the Art of Spiritual Reading , p. 106.
This is a blessed truth that we need to remember. We can count on this: Jesus will not fail in praying for us as his people. We do fail, time and time again, though we want to grow and do better, and we should.
Just the same it is good and important for us to fall back time and time again on this truth and reality. And how much we need it. Left to ourselves we would fail and give up, but because of Jesus's intercessions in prayer, meaning that he prays for us with petitions to the Father- we keep getting up and going on in spite of ourselves because of him.
This blessed truth took hold of me the other day after I had read it in this book, coming afresh and anew to me. I sensed God's peace in spite of myself and my struggles; maybe someone was praying for me somewhere and God always honors that. One thing we should in faith count on: Jesus is always praying for us as one who is one with us as well as one with the Father and the Holy Spirit.
How has this truth impacted you, or what might you like to add here?
4 comments:
It comforts me to think of Jesus praying for me. It always has.
How would we make it if He didn't pray for us? I've always had some sort of picture in my head of Jesus sitting next to the Father, maybe on the edge of his seat, talking about all of us. Meanwhile, the Holy Spirit interprets our side of the story, the groanings we can't articulate ourselves, and somehow the whole trinity is intimately involved in the workings of our lives. My eyes are tearing up with joy at this. What a privelege to be in Christ.
L.L., It certainly is a blessed assurance and an important part of the actual working out of our salvation, for sure.
Charity, That's a good picture and a good way to think of it. I like the way you bring the Trinity into this.
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