Thesis 90 We must pray for one another.
It may well be the most common lie told by Christians, “I’ll pray for you.” The reason is pretty simple. First, we know we’re supposed to pray for each other. Second, we’re not very good at praying. Third, we look good when we claim we’ll pray, and those to whom we make this promise have no way of knowing if we keep it. The One to whom we pray, however, knows every idle word and every idle promise. We make fun of the Pharisees for praying loud and public prayers to win the acclaim of others. We, on the other hand, promise loudly and publicly to say prayers we don’t even say.
I am not encouraging prayer for one another because I’ve bought into some silly notion that God is moved by numbers. It is a blasphemous thought to imagine our loving Father in heaven keeping a tally of how many have prayed for this or that and waiting until some magic number is hit before He acts. The prayers of a righteous man availeth much, not the prayer of righteous men. I would argue instead that the value of spreading our prayer requests far and wide, and the value of taking up those requests from far and wide is found in what these prayers can do for the one praying them.
When I pray for myself, as I ought to do, it is easy for my focus to stay more on the giver of the prayer than the receiver. That is, my focus can remain on me. When, however, I devote time, energy, attention to the needs of others, suddenly my focus turns away from myself to two far more important foci- the one in the need and the One who meets the need. Praying for others gets me off myself in a way that praying for myself might not.
Second, my prayers for others remind me of the love my Father has for others. Peace, love, community among believers comes less when we work harder at being better, more when we remember better that we and our sins are all covered by the blood of the Lamb, that we are all the beloved children of the Father. If the whole of the body of Christ were more concerned about others than themselves, good things will surely follow.
Last, praying for others is what I’m supposed to do. As with all of God’s law, obedience redounds to our own well being. God’s law isn’t a set of restrictions used to measure our commitment. It is instead an invitation to joy.
What should we be praying for each other? That we would walk faithfully with our Lord. That we would embrace more fully the grace He has already given us. That we would put to death our own flesh. That He would use us to manifest His own glory and the glory of His kingdom. That we, His bride, would be a crown of glory to Him, our husband and King.