The Power of Your Prayer
One
Moses Interceding with God
Probably all of us have heard the story of the golden calf, how after God had worked wonder after wonder in Egypt, and then wonder after wonder in the desert, after God had chosen the Israelites as His own people not because they’d earned it but just because He’d chosen to love them, and after He had given them the Ten Commandments, the richest formula for happiness ever known to any people before the coming of Christ. After all this, the Israelites, with an almost breathtaking stupidity, had built themselves a little stature of a baby cow and said, “This is our god!”
It’s so absurd. And you might think that after that, God would say, “You know what, I can’t work with these people. They’re hopeless. There’s nothing I can do with them. Let me just start over.” And, actually, that is pretty much what God said to Moses. God said, “I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people. Now let me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them; but of you I will make a great nation.” (Ex. 32:9-10).
So God’s saying, “Don’t try to stop me, Moses, I’m going to annihilate this people. And don’t worry, I’ll take care of you. I’ll make you the new ultimate Patriarch, I’ll make a whole new nation, and you’ll be the father of them all.”
But Moses pleads with God to have mercy on the Israelites. He says, “O Lord, why does thy wrath burn hot against thy people, whom thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?... Turn from they fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against my people… But if thou will not forgive their sin, I pray you, blot me out from the book which thou hast written.”
In other words, Moses is saying, “No, Lord. Spare them. If you destroy them, you might as well destroy me.” And Exodus says that because of Moses’ pleading, “The Lord repented of the evil which he had planned to do to his people.” (Ex. 32:14).
Two
“Leave me alone, and I will destroy them”
This story raises some tough questions: Like was God really going to do evil to his people? Can God to evil to people? And did Moses really chance God’s mind? Can God change His mind? And the answer to both these questions is “No.” God can’t do evil to people. And God can’t change His mind.
But…God can leave people to the natural and self-destructive consequences of their own sins. That’s what it means when God “punishes” people. He leaves them to the consequences of their self-destructive activity. And God can put conditionality into the structure of the universe, so that if we do something good for other people, like pray for them, it will actually help them.
That’s what it means when we intercede for other people with our prayers. It means we utilize the interconnected spiritual causal structure that God has established between all humanity. So see how God says, “Leave me alone, Moses, that I may destroy this people.” The implication is, “Moses, hint-hint, if you don’t leave me alone, I won’t destroy this people.”
God is showing Moses that prayer can save other people from evil, especially the evil they’ve inflicted on themselves. So if we actually care about people, even self-destructive people like Moses did, then we know what we need to do.
Three
The Importunate Widow, the Importunate Neighbor, and the Miracles won from Christ
This same idea, that God will use our prayers to help people, works positively too. It’s not just that our prayers prevent disasters, it’s that our prayers can win for people the graces and blessings they need.
Think of the parable of the guy who has to badger his cranky neighbor to get a loaf of bread for his guest. And think of all the people whose perseverance with Jesus won healings not for themselves, but for those dear to them. Jairus, or the Centurion, or the Father of the boy with epilepsy. Think especially of the Syrophoenician woman. Remember, Jesus totally ignored her at first. Then He told her it would be an illegitimate diversion to do anything for her. As if He didn’t want to help her. But she persisted, she begged Him relentlessly, completely undaunted. And then the Lord was delighted to heal her daughter.
All these cases show the same thing: if we persistently beseech God, wonders of healing, wonders of grace, wonders of conversion will be possible for those we love.
Four
God Willing to make Himself look Indifferent – to get us to pray
Take just a moment, now, and think of how much God must want us to pray for other people. Just think: the God who is Pure Love Itself is willing to make Himself look indifferent, uninterested, or even hostile towards the people we care about.
He says, “Look, if this is what it takes to get you to pray persistently for other people, then feel free to think of Me as a cranky neighbor. Or a God who’s just itching to wipe out an entire race. Or a Messiah who doesn’t care about your problems. These would all be blasphemous comparisons if you came up with them – but I’m the one presenting Myself that way. Imagine I don’t care about the people you care about. And then, try to harass Me by your prayer. Don’t give Me a moment’s peace. Don’t get out of My way. Don’t let Me pass on by. Harass Me, tirelessly, with prayers for the people you love. Because that’s the best thing you can do for them. And it will make a difference.”
That’s how powerful our prayers for other people are. That’s how much God wants us to use that power. And that’s why we can’t ever stop.
Five
Who Needs Our Prayers?
Lent is a time in the desert and as Christ showed us during His forty days, the time in the desert is a time of prayer. But we’re not just supposed to be praying for ourselves. We’re supposed to be praying for the family member in crisis. For the child or the sibling who has been away from the faith for years. For the friend who has never been well, physically, emotionally, morally, or spiritually.
And over the years, we sometimes get tired of praying for the people who need it. After all, it’s been so long, and they’re still where they were. Well, this Lent, remember the people who you’ve stopped praying for and recommit to praying for them. Because they still need it. And God has ordained that your persistent, relentless prayers have the power to help them like nothing else can.
Suggested Resolutions:
Choose one resolution for today to help you grow closer to God, or create your own. Here are some ideas to inspire you.
Spend time in prayer reflecting on those that you’ve given up praying for. Write down a list of names and resolve to continue praying for them.
Prayer is strengthened by sacrifice. Think of something you can offer up for the conversion of your loved ones and unite it to your prayer.