THE GIFT OF
INTERCESSION
1
Thessalonians 3:12-13
A few years ago a good friend asked me what she could give me
for my birthday. It occurred to me that what I desired most was her prayers,
for me. And so we agreed that on the 21st of every month in that
year, she would offer me the gift of her intercession. What a generous expression of her love for me.
In today’s scripture, the Apostle Paul’s love for the church
he has planted in Thessalonica, overflows in intercession, “may the Lord make your love increase and
overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May
he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the
presence of our God and Father when the Lord Jesus comes with all his holy
ones.” 1Thess. 3: 12-13
There is a lot of buzz about gifts right now. Almost every
store assures us that they have the
best selection of gifts. But in this season, as we reflect on God’s generous
gift of love, we can resist the lure of giving only temporal gifts. We can offer
our family, our friends, our neighbors, and our community, the gift of intercession. Andrew
Murray was correct when he wrote, “True love will pray.”
Today invite the Holy Spirit to give you a list of people that
you can love through Advent, by praying each day for one of them. Your prayers
of intercession will be an extension of Christ’s intercession work in their lives . This is eternal gift giving.
PRAYER:
“Teach me
to pray Lord, teach me to pray. This is my heart cry day unto day. I long to
know Your will and Your way. Teach me to pray, Lord, teach me to pray.” Albert Reitz
THE REVEREND JOANNE BROWNE JENNINGS
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