“Then said the LORD unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people: cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth.” (Jer. 15:1)
Pleading with the Almighty, what is known as intercessory prayer, is possibly one of the most important aspects of prayer, for it reveals in those who do so a selfless love for others, the pinnacle of dying to self in that regard, and the assurance that He who has promised is faithful.
I believe you could, at least in our finite minds, lift those two men in our opening verse above others that offer prayers, at least in the context, for you must ask yourself this question, would the Lord heed your request as much as Moses, the servant of God, or Samuel, dedicated to the Almighty before he was even conceived? “If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.” (John 14:14)
Flippantly, this is how I personally believe many who pray speak to the Father, as if He is expected to fulfill our request with no regard to the way we are living our lives, the time we spend seeking His face, or what occupies the majority of our time, self or glorifying Him. I also believe, and I truly hope I am mistaken in this, that the majority of prayers offered to the Lord are not of the intercessory type but are instead centered on the one who is offering those prayers own life, their needs, wants and desires.
If you attend a church on a regular basis that offers prayer requests sometime during the Sunday morning service, listen intently to those requests spoken by the one at the front of the congregation, who is seeking what and for whom? Are they “Help me” or “Help them?” Are they all-encompassing and generalized, or are they specific and to the point, are they, as well as your personal prayers, offered in a sense of dim hope, or in the assurance that they will be heard and responded to? “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.” (James 1:6)
If you want assurance as to where Moses and Samuel are right now, today, reread that verse, if you want to understand what it means to come boldly to the throne of grace in all humility read it a third time. Just because you ask for something does not mean that you will receive it, but it does mean that we are heard, and you can rest assured in all confidence that the answer you will receive will glorify God, that is the purpose of prayer, not to get something from Him, but that His will, will be done.
“Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” (Matt. 6:10)
“The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright is his delight.” (Prov. 15:8)
You are heard my friends, the Almighty hears everything perfectly as you say it, the Holy Spirit speaks for us when we can only groan, and the Lord Jesus Christ is our High Priest, our intercessor.
“Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.” (Isaiah 6:5) Yes, we are, but He still hears us.
Let your request be made known to Him, but pay attention to them a little more over the coming days and weeks, who are they for, you or others, are they specific and well thought out, or are they generalized and spoken with no true intent of the heart? If you are His, He hears you, but have you truly considered beforehand who it is you are speaking to?
Are you willing to say each time you pray, “Thy will be done?”
