Oh, To Be a Fly On the Wall

Have you ever felt led to pray for someone out of the blue? I have. I have woken up on many occasions having just dreamed something about someone and immediately felt an urgency to pray for them at that moment. It's always a bit frustrating for me, though, because I enjoy praying for others, but I want to know what I should pray for. Is it health, finances, relationships, safety, or what? I don't like praying for people and only being able to say "just bless them, Lord."

Oh I know, God knows the need. I've heard all of that before. I just like to be very specific in my prayers because when I know the problem, I can be laser-focused on the need and asking God for the exact help the issue requires. Even so, if I'm led to pray and I don't know the need, I still pray and I just try to cover all of the bases. :o)

Knowing how specific I like to be, I have a lingering question about this verse:

Romans 8: 33-34

33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? Will God? No! He is the one who has given us right standing with himself. 34 Who then will condemn us? Will Christ Jesus? No, for he is the one who died for us and was raised to life for us and is sitting at the place of highest honor next to God, pleading for us.

Did you catch that? In verse 34, it clearly states that while Jesus is sitting next to God, He is praying for us. What?! Jesus is praying for us?!

I have to pause right here because my brain tends to shut down at this point. If you know my imagination, you know I've got some craziness in my head. I can think of all sorts of weird, interesting, bizarre, and atypical things. But this? This shuts me up quickly.

I mean, WHAT does the Son of God pray for you and me (thus my lingering question)?

Not only that, but "pray?" That word trips me up, too, because I think of prayer in human terms....a way to have long distance communication with a God who is beyond our universe and unhindered by time and space. It's not like we can sit down in Starbucks with God for a coffee break. We can't take him out to lunch to discuss our issues.

But I have come to realize that what Jesus is doing is a more accurate view of prayer. God is not a long distance pen pal. Jesus is sitting right next to Him having a conversation with Him about us. What would change about our prayer time with God if we realized and spoke to Him like He was right next to us? (I bet we wouldn't ask Him to "come join us!" We'd feel pretty stupid doing that knowing that He is right beside us.)

I have a feeling that we'd feel ashamed just reciting some prayer we heard someone else say knowing God sees right through it. He'd probably say, "Hey! I'm right here beside you. Just talk to me. Tell me what's on your heart and mind! Stop trying to talk like someone I didn't create you to be."

Since God is everywhere at once, He IS right beside us just like He is beside Jesus while He prays for us. I still wonder what Jesus is praying, though. I would love to be a fly on the wall of the throneroom of God just to hear the beloved Son of God pray for me. How humbling that moment would be! Also, what a comfort it will be to remember that the next time we are facing trials or temptations. When we feel we are being tempted beyond what we can bear, let's remember that Jesus is praying for us in that very moment. Remembering the verse, "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." from Phillipians 4:13, it makes you wonder if that is how Christ gives you the strength to be able to do all things. Hmmmmm.....