For All The Saints

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.

Ephesians 6:18

One of the greatest services we can do for others is to pray for them.  In this we imitate Christ.  When Christ prayed His High Priestly prayer in John 17, He set the tone for praying for others.  As Paul comes to the closing of his letter to the Ephesians, he is pointing them to engage in the Christlike behavior which He has shown.  How did Christ pray?  He prayed ‘always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit.’  He was ‘watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication (or petition) for all the saints.’  If we would learn to pray as Christ prayed, we must rely upon His Spirit to enable us to genuinely intercede at the Throne of Grace.  We may do so with the confidence that God will hear our prayers because Christ ‘ever lives to make intercession for us’ and because the Holy Spirit intercedes for us ‘with groanings which cannot be uttered.’  Therein lies our confidence in the place of prayer.  God hears us for the sake of these who never fail in their intercession.  Their success guarantees our success in praying ‘for all the saints.’  Today, let us pray with confidence, not in ourselves, but in Christ and the Holy Spirit, Who will enable, us to pray, ‘for all the saints.’

Our God of Grace and Glory,
we rejoice that You have given unto us the great privilege
of praying for one another.
We praise You that day by day,
we may look to Christ, to teach us
how to better intercede for all the saints.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning