Pray Hard

John 17:20

I do not ask in behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in me through their word.

If you were to ask me why I believe so strongly in a God I haven’t seen, prayer would be at the top of my list. When I was 17 I had a bumper sticker on the back of my Ford Tempo that read, “Pray Hard.” It was more than a bumper stick though; it was a conviction. I honestly believe with all of my heart that prayer is one of the most important aspects of our Christian walk. I can give you countless testimonies concerning the power of prayer. There have been times when I prayed for a friend or family member and witnessed amazing results. Just last week, someone I barely know sent me an encouraging note in which they told me they had prayed for me the previous day. I find it almost incomprehensible to imagine the creator of the universe intervening in my life because someone else came to Him in prayer concerning me.

How amazing to know that among those who have said a prayer for me is Christ Jesus, Himself! It was the final night before He would be turned over to the Jews to begin His trial and crucifixion. Among the many things that must have been on His mind that night, Christ found it important enough to pause and spend time in prayer for future generations. Like the old song says, “While He was on the cross, I was on His mind.” After all, aren’t we the reason for which He would shortly offer up His life? I guess it makes sense that He should spend time in prayer for us. I often forget that Christ, still being God, was human as well. Luke 22:44 tells us that while Christ was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, His sweat became “like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground.” Many Biblical scholars and medical doctors believe that Christ may have been suffering from a rare condition called hematohidrosisa, a literal broken heart. In either case, it is an unmistakable truth to know that Christ cared deeply for us on that night.

As comforted as I am by the truth of our Lord interceding for us the night before His crucifixion, I am more overwhelmed by the testimony of Romans 8:34 which says that even now Christ is at the right hand of God interceding for those who believe in Him. It is for this reason that I encourage you to never stop praying for those around you. If we will continually lift our prayers up to Christ, the Bible promises that He is sitting in Heaven, as an advocate to the Father. He longs to hear from us. He longs to be our Savior and Sustainer. It is our duty and obligation to spend time in prayer for both believers and nonbelievers alike. If Christ could find time to pray for you the night before His crucifixion, how much more should you find time in your day to pray for friends and family? I challenge you to set aside five minutes today and intercede for someone close to you. If you won’t do it, who will?