Our dog Duke was determined to get my attention. He was barking and scratching on the gutter downspout. He would come to me with a whine, and then hurry back to his mission. Finally I took the elbow off the downspout and a dazed squirrel came sliding out. Duke ran beside it as it set its sights on the tree in the backyard. The little guy was in a real predicament and would have died if Duke had not cared.

Intercessory prayer is much like that. You are made aware of someone’s predicament, and then you know that you must do more than “say a prayer,” but STAY IN PRAYER. Duke did all that he could do, he refused to stop barking and pawing at the guttering until I got the squirrel out. It wasn’t a hunter’s bark, but a plea for help.

Intercessory prayer is when we have a spirit of continuing in prayer until God puts the Amen on it. It is not that we must point out to God what He already knows, but that we believe God alone holds the answer. Neither is Intercessory prayer our attempt to get God to care, we know He cares. It is our caring enough to pray until we see it through.

Intercessory prayer is a way that God and believers share loving concerns together about a friend in trouble. The best prayers come from God (The things He points out for us to be concerned about) and return to God when we pray. Is someone depending on us to pray today?

“When Jesus has found you, tell others the story,
That my loving Saviour is your Saviour too;
Then pray that your Saviour may bring them to glory,
And prayer will be answered, ’twas answered for you!

For you I am praying, for you I am praying,
For you I am praying, I’m praying for you.”