Intercessory Prayer Part 1: A Burden

Last night went really well. Thank you for your prayers. Before I told them ALL about Kay and Trent, I spoke to them about intercessory prayer. I think that we take prayer too lightly. I've always loved praying to the Lord and conversing with Him. However, my intercessory prayer didn't really develop until I asked the Lord to use me. After the Lord woke Gin up in the middle of the night to pray for me (if you don't know this story, read my blog from December 2, 2005), I asked the Lord to wake me up in the middle of the night...use ME! He did! I'm still learning and don't have it all figured out yet, but things did change at that point.

After that, praying for others took on a whole new meaning. One major difference is that I don't just simply say a prayer for another, but I am burdened for that person. It becomes my burden while I am in prayer. (I'm still learning how to leave that burden at the throne and not carry it with me throughout the day where my flesh might intervene.) Intercessory prayer may begin as a discipline, but it becomes something more.

"Arise, cry out in the night: pour out your heart like water to the Lord. Lift up your hands to Him for the lives of your children who faint from hunger at every street corner." Lamentations 2:19

I am memorizing this verse this week. I think of "arise" as almost like when He wakes you up in the night. Of course "children" doesn't literally mean your child, or for some of you, maybe it does. People are hungry for a lot of things...not just food!