Wednesday, March 23
The power of intercessory prayer
Scripture: Deuteronomy 9-10, Matthew 23
Deuteronomy 9:20 The Lord was angry enough with Aaron to destroy him. But I prayed for Aaron at that time also.
Deuteronomy 9:25–26 “I fell down in the presence of the Lord forty days and forty nights because the Lord had threatened to destroy you. 26 I prayed to the Lord: Lord God, do not annihilate your people, your inheritance, whom you redeemed through your greatness and brought out of Egypt with a strong hand.
Observation
When Moses came down the mountain with the Ten Commandments, he found Israel worshiping a golden calf which Aaron had made. He was furious and smashed the stone tablets as a graphic way of showing how they had broken the covenant. But he also prayed, and his intercession saved them. God was going to destroy Aaron and Israel, but the passage indicates that Moses’ prayers saved them from destruction.
James 5:16 The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
Application
There is a lot I don’t understand about prayer—there is mystery here. But all of Scripture, including the words of Jesus, indicate that God hears our prayers and responds. It is not an empty exercise. God invites us to ask and promises to answer. And in this passage, it seems that Moses’ prayers change God’s mind—hard to imagine that! As I said…there is mystery here.
The question I asked in the devotional (reflective questions) was “Who are you praying for faithfully?” Moses prayed again and again for the people he led. Who am I praying for faithfully? My prayers make a difference—God invites me to pray and promises to answer. Today, I’m going to pray earnestly for people who need God’s help and salvation. Lord have mercy!
One of the people I need to pray for faithfully is myself! I was struck by Jesus’ words in Matthew 23 about cleansing the outside of the cup while the inside was dirty, and being like whitewashed tombs, beautiful on the outside but inside full of death. I recognize that sometimes I can present a shiny exterior while my thoughts are not so beautiful! I need God’s mercy and help as much as anyone! Lord have mercy!
Prayer: Lord, help me to pray, to stand in the gap and intercede for others…and for myself. Lord, have mercy! I pray especially for peace and justice in Ukraine.