I just posted the following quote by Oswald Chambers, a Scots minister and teacher who was active during the first half of the twentieth century. I believe that his work is still being published. "My Utmost for His Highest:-Selections for the Year" is one of my favorite devotionals.
"Intercession means that we rouse ourselves up to get the mind of Christ about the one for whom we pray."
Chambers language is a little ambiguous, but ambiguity seems to be a mighty useful tool for this prayer journey, especially intercessory prayer. It’s the mind of Christ that I pray will surround someone, not my own mind, my own ideas, my own judgments. It just does not make much sense for me to pray for what I want for a person, unless I am very clear that it is my will be done that I’m asking for. Then God and I can have a little joke about it. Sometimes I say, “Well, God, here’s what I want for so-and-so, and then, if I remember humility, I say, “but, thy will be done.” I know better, and of course so does God, who is most forgiving, or shall I say accepting, of my humanness.
"Intercession means that we rouse ourselves up to get the mind of Christ about the one for whom we pray."
Chambers language is a little ambiguous, but ambiguity seems to be a mighty useful tool for this prayer journey, especially intercessory prayer. It’s the mind of Christ that I pray will surround someone, not my own mind, my own ideas, my own judgments. It just does not make much sense for me to pray for what I want for a person, unless I am very clear that it is my will be done that I’m asking for. Then God and I can have a little joke about it. Sometimes I say, “Well, God, here’s what I want for so-and-so, and then, if I remember humility, I say, “but, thy will be done.” I know better, and of course so does God, who is most forgiving, or shall I say accepting, of my humanness.
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