"Whenever we step back from identification with God's interest in others into sympathy with them, the vital connection with God has gone, we have put our sympathy, our consideration for them in the way, and this is a deliberate rebuke to God." (Oswald Chambers)
Intercessory prayer is prayer for others and their situations. I confess that I do not do this enough, my interests are too often centered on myself and not the needs of others.
I can remember a couple of instances where I was in a gathering, and the group was interceding for another. In one place, someone prayed as "God, we know that you can relieve this suffering they are going through, and we ask, believing in your power and mercy, that you will do it. We thank you ahead of time for what you are going to do". It bothered me that this person was making an assumption that it would be God's will to make this person whole again in this life. Maybe so, and maybe not, but how could we know? It was our wish that was spoken to God, but maybe not His.
Another time, in another group, the prayer went like "Lord, we thank you that you have caused this cancer to go away, and we rejoice with _____ that you have made her well". True, it was our wish that she be made well, but did we really know?
Chambers says that when we intercede for others, if it is just in sympathy for them and their situation, we have placed our interests ahead of God's. We cannot know the purposes of God in the lives of others, or even of ourselves, unless He chooses to reveal it to us.
I cannot intercede in a dictatorial fashion, telling God what needs to be done. Neither can I assume that what I want is what God wants. I simply cannot know the mind of God on all of this.
I need to be concerned for others, and to pray for them, but maybe my prayer should not be just for relief, but a heartfelt "Thy will be done".
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