You Are a Friend to Me

What do you think of when you hear the word “intercession”?  Do you think of prayer?  Do you think of saving a life?  Do you think of powerful prayers that save lives through strong declarations and waging war against mighty raging seas?  What do you think of?  I will tell you what I think of… .I think of this…

“Let love be genuine… .Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep,” Romans 12:9, 15.  Too simple?  I am of the opinion that this is the deep, deep heart of intercession.

Yes, it is about prayer and yes, it is about saving a life; however, saving a life… .praying for them sincerely.. .is not necessarily about cataclysmic conversions or strong, lengthy declarations.  It is more about sitting or standing next to that life until an equal share of their burden becomes your own.  Then, once half of their personal weight is set squarely upon your shoulders, you shift a little.  You encourage.  You start to get up… .slowly.  Ah yes… .half the weight is yours and half theirs.  Now let us move.  Let us push upward.  Come on… .you can stand.  Let us move forward.  It’s okay, I’ve got half of this.  I’ll help you… .recover yourself.

The Son of David, Immanuel, bore half of that blind man’s weight.  Immanuel became humanity and suffered with great personal pity for that blind man’s condition.  “Call him” Mark 10:49.  I want you right in front of me blind man.  I will weep with you who weeps.  Stand up now… .I’ve got half of this… .recover your sight!

Are you getting the picture?  Intercession is about lowering oneself into the need of another and, bearing half the load, aiding them to recover.  And the beautiful point, the fantastic end result, is that they themselves have laid hold of their recovery.  They stand and move forward a dignified member of the human race.  “Lazarus, come out,” John 11:43.  Lazarus, YOU come out.  “Unbind him.”  Others, come and intercede and then.. “Let him go,” John 11:44.  

It is not for us to evaluate or understand the depth of the burden or the height of the joy, it is just for us to become engaged to it.  It is just for us to become personally attached, lowering our heart.  We  sit down and weep, encouraging the heart, until the weeping one weeps no more.  We celebrate the joy, encouraging the dance, until that rejoicing one is brimming over with their rejoicing.  This is friendship and this is intercession.

O Lord, you have been a friend to me.  You have been the one to sit with me in my ashes and celebrate with me in my most passionate joys!  Even when others would not.  When others could not suffer long, You were my constant intercessor.  I praise You because half of my burden is set squarely upon Your shoulders and You bear with me until I recover.  Praise to You Immanuel!