Intercede, day 1

This year's theme for CCF's prayer week is "Intercede" and you may wish to look at the devotional booklet here.

For the first day, the passage focus was Colossians 1:9-14, where Paul prayed for the Christians in Colossae. He had an amazing list of prayer requests for them, primarily that they grow in the knowledge of God.

Sometimes you wonder at the boldness Paul had in prayer, and where it came from. Or, that you feel that your prayers don't go through the roof above your head. I've had that for a year and a half, so I know how that feels. I've tried just sitting, and even creative visualization types of prayers, and affirmations, anything to get the prayer mojo back. I remember as a younger Christian I would pray with the certainty that a loving Father listened to me. What has changed?

Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I still have a loving Father who listens to me intently.

I just needed to be reminded. Verses 13 and 14, if anything, shows us our position in Jesus, and that gives us boldness in prayer and intercession. "The Father has delivered and drawn us to Himself out of the control and the dominion of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in Whom we have our redemption through His blood, which means the forgiveness of our sins."

So, during my dark times when I sinfully rebelled, it was the Father who brought me to Himself through Jesus. It was Jesus' blood that gave me access. I feel full of gratitude for God.

If you're feeling the same and ready to intercede for other Christians, may I redirect you to www.be-a-voice.net and www.persecution.com. This way you can pray for the persecuted Christians and their persecutors.