Intercessory Prayer

I have cried until the tears no longer come.  My heart is broken, my spirit poured out, as I see what has happened to my people.  

Lamentations 2:11

Do you cry when you think of the people in your life who don't know The Lord?  Are you deeply moved when you watch the news and see the moral decay that is happening all around us?  I have to admit I like to skip watching the news.  I like to ignore the state of the world sometimes because it just makes me sad to think of where we are, and worse yet, where some are heading.  As I have joined the world of foster care I have heard some very sad stories and seen some very upsetting things, a world I was sheltered from until a little over 2 years ago.  A world, at times, I wonder why I got myself involved in.  Until I ran across this scripture that describes Jeremiah's deep hurt and broken heartedness towards his people who were sinning and were in such a bad place morally and ethically.  They were far from God, following false prophets putting their trust in lies and finding themselves to the point of disaster.  Mothers were resorting to killing and eating their babies!  It was really bad!  But there was one man who mourned for the state of his people and he cried out loud for days because of the peril they were in.  Friends, it is our job to stand in the gap just like Jeremiah did.  God is looking for His sons and daughters to stand up for Him and defend His land and direct His people toward Him.  He searches for people who are praying for the less fortunate and those whose hearts are far away from knowing Him.  God does punish those who disobey Him but He is patient in that punishment.  Why?  Because He is always searching for intercessors, just one person who will stand before Him on behalf of someone else.  

"I looked for someone who might rebuild eh wall of righteousness that guards the land.  I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn't have to destroy the land, but I found no one.  So now I will pour out my fury on them, consuming them in the fire of my anger.  I will heap on them the full penalty for all their sins, says the Sovereign Lord."

Ezekiel 22:30-31

In Ezekiel's day, God searched and found no-one to stand in the gap.  Things had gotten really bad and God was perfectly justified in punishing the people, but from His amazing grace, He was willing to spare them if He could find just one person praying for them.  Unfortunately everyone was too busy.  Where were the religious leaders and people who called themselves righteous?  Maybe they were busy with full schedules, some were probably juggling many good and godly commitments.  Whatever the reason they chose that day who they were to love and those who were not like them did not make the cut.  They loved only those who could love them back and as Christians we are to love everyone.  Who are you interceding for today?  Is there someone or a group of people whom you are pleading with God to do a saving work?  God needs us to reach the ungodly and the lost.  He has not changed His plan from thousands of years ago.  He continues to look for those who will stand in the gap on behalf of an immoral, sinful society.  

Dear God, use me to stand in the gap for just one person or group of persons.  Show me who is in need of intercessory prayer and I promise to add them to my prayer list.  Don't let me ignore the world around me anymore but give me eyes to see, ears to hear and a heart like Yours to stand up for those who are lost and pray for the sinful people in this world.  In Jesus' Name....Amen