Devotional - May 28, 2004

If I were to ask you to pray the Lord's Prayer, you'd probably begin by saying, "Our Father which art in heaven..." This was the way Jesus answered the disciples when they asked him, "Lord, teach us to pray." Actually, Mt 6:9 and Luke 11:2 (where this prayer is found) is more of a model prayer than a prayer. What we have in John 17 on the other hand, is an account of Jesus praying.

Jesus began his prayer by praying for himself, followed with prayer for the disciples and then all believers. An immature person might think Jesus' prayer for himself anyone else was a selfish thing to do. If that's what you think, consider this:

As the airplane taxied down the runway, the airline stewardess began explaining the safety equipment onboard. "In the case of lost cabin pressure, an oxygen mask will drop down from the cabinet above your seat. Take the mask and place it on your nose and mouth and breathe. For adults sitting beside children, help them with their mask after securing your own."

From the back of the plane a well-meaning passenger disagreed with the instruction, "That's ludicrous! I'll help the child before puting my own mask on my face." Another stewardess walking up the aisle from behind the man bent over and said, "Sir, if you lose consciousness from lack of air, how can you expect to help someone else?"

Intercessory prayer is helping others. But, how can you expect to help someone else if you are helpless? Praying for others before yourself can be likened to jumping into a raging sea to save someone without wearing a life preserver. Praying with unconfessed sin in your life is not only a waste of time, it gives those for whom you pray false hope.

We like to think that kneeling is the most appropriate position of prayer. There's nothing wrong with that position, but there's nothing particularly holy about it either. You can assume a position laying down, standing, walking, sitting, and so on. It's not your physical position that gains God's attention, but your spiritual position.

Jesus said, "I've completed everything You asked of me, Father. Now, I ask You to glorify me for the intercessory work ahead." As He looked up toward heaven, He did so indicating to whom He was speaking. In other words, His position revealed the source of His hope. In the same way, His confession before praying for anyone else indicates the reason He had hope.

Is your spiritual position before God one that gets His attention? Do you mention in whose Name you come? Do you begin praying by confessing sin and appealing to God's mercy and forgiveness? Are you aware of what God requires of you spiritually before interceding for someone else?

It seems to me that a wise pray-er will put on a life preserver before jumping in the raging water to help someone else. If you're not careful, you both can drown.

1 Developed from Read the Bible Thru ( 2Sa.13:1-39 Jn. 17:1-26 Ps. 119:81-95 Pr. 16:6-7 )
2. Scripture comes from the Holy Bible, New International Version; (c)1978 by New York International Bible Society