“First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good, and it pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:1-4
Yesterday I talked about God answering my prayer about not sinning in my anger. I wanted to circle back and talk about the prayer warriors that helped me do that. It really is what made the difference, them standing in the gap for me.
They each helped me focus back onto God when I was going way off track. One reminded me that in this world, we really don’t deserve anything. All of the blessings we have are gifts from God, none of them are deserved. We are all sinners fallen from grace, it is Jesus that makes us whole. One reminded me that there was no way I was going to be able to do this on my own. The only way I could do it was if I did it with God. So she got that assignment, praying I would do it with God. Another prayed for the hurt I was feeling. My Weight Watcher’s prayer warriors prayed I wouldn’t “eat” my anger. Yes folks, by the time the clock struck 1:00 I had enlisted 6 different people to pray for me, each was praying very specific things, none of them the same.
God had people stand in the gap for me when I could not pray.
He will do the same for you. That is why it is so important to build friendships with other Christ followers. That is why it is so important to develop daily disciplines. If I didn’t start my day out every day in my prayer closet, I wouldn’t of been there when all hell broke loose in the Morrison household. I wouldn’t of been there to fall to my knees and ask God for help. Who knows what would have happened if I hadn’t done that. Because I did that, I knew I needed people to stand in the gap for me. Because I have spent years developing the friendships of the people I called, because we’ve been journeying with Christ together for a long time, they were there to answer the phone and stand in the gap for me.
God has people to stand in the gap for you. Develop those friendships now, because you don’t know when the day will come that you’ll need them to keep you from sinning in your anger, or whatever other struggle you have. Take time today to think about who those people are in your life. Develop those relationships. Take it from someone who knows, you’ll need it one day.
