“And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”
(Acts 7:60)
Prayer must never become so narrow that we remember to pray only for ourself. Even though salvation, holiness, and perseverance are matters of personal concern, true Christianity reaches outward. Those whom God has placed around us, those in our family, those belonging to the church, those who have shown us kindness, and even those who have wronged us should find a place in our petitions before God.
We have a particular responsibility to pray for those in our family. Parents should earnestly pray for their children because they know their circumstances, weaknesses, dangers, and temptations. They should ask that their children be kept from evil, sanctified through the truth, strengthened by faith, governed by God, and brought safely to eternal life.
Prayer should also extend to the whole church of God. As the people of God belong to the same spiritual family, their difficulties, temptations, persecutions, and needs should matter to every Christian. And as a member of that family, we each have a responsibility to ask that Christ preserve, strengthen, and vindicate His people.
Those who have shown kindness should also be remembered. Paul remembered Onesiphorus with affection and prayed that he might find mercy from the Lord. Christian gratitude therefore rises beyond thankfulness and asks God Himself to reward mercy with mercy.[1]
Most searching of all is the command to pray for our enemies. Stephen, while being murdered, cried for mercy on those who were killing him. Christ Himself prayed for those involved in His crucifixion. Such prayer follows the pattern of God, who does good in the face of evil, and obeys the command to pray for those who despitefully use us. The heart that can pray only for friends has not yet followed Christ as far as He commands.
Our approach to prayer should be enlarged to ask for grace to remember our own needs without becoming self-absorbed, to intercede fervently for family, to bring our church family before God, to remember benefactors with gratitude, and to pray sincerely even for our enemies.
Contemplations:
- Keep My Prayers from Circling Only Around Me. I confess how easily my prayers are focused on my own fears, needs, burdens, and desires. Teach me to remember my own needs, but without becoming spiritually self-centered. Enlarge my heart so that others are also remembered in my prayers. Remind me of those names, needs, weaknesses, and dangers to bring before You rather than letting prayer remain a private conversation about myself alone.
- Teach Me to Carry My Family Before You. You know the snares, temptations, weaknesses, and future trials that surround those closest to me. Give me earnestness in praying for them. Do not let my petitions stop at health, safety, prosperity, or ease but also that they be kept from evil, sanctified through Your truth, and strengthened in faith.
- Make the Burdens of the Church Matter to Me. Your people belong to one body and one household. Give me a heart that remembers the afflicted, tempted, persecuted, weak, and suffering members of Christ, and let the welfare of Christ’s people become one of the requests I bring before Your throne.
- Give Me Grace to Pray for Those Who Wrong Me. Stephen prayed for those who were killing him, and Christ prayed for those involved in His crucifixion. My heart is far too ready to rehearse injuries rather than seek mercy for the injurer. Let resentment lose its hold as I bring my enemies before You, and give me grace to desire their repentance, pardon, and salvation rather than their defeat.
Prayer (Supplication):
Merciful Father, enlarge my prayers beyond myself.
Keep me from neglecting my own soul, but also preserve me from praying as though my own needs were the only ones that mattered. Teach me to carry others before You with seriousness, affection, and perseverance.
Give me particular faithfulness in praying for those whom You put in my life. You know their weaknesses, temptations, dangers, and needs more perfectly than I ever can. Keep them from evil. Sanctify them through Your truth. Strengthen them, provide for them, and make them heirs of a better world.
Teach me also to remember the whole church of Christ. Strengthen the afflicted, uphold the persecuted, recover the wandering, comfort the sorrowful, and preserve Your people in faith and holiness.
Do not let me forget those who have shown kindness to me. Give me a grateful heart that asks Your mercy on those through whom You have done me good.
And give me grace to pray for enemies. Where I have been wronged, guard me from bitterness. Where others have acted cruelly, deceitfully, or maliciously, teach me to seek their repentance and salvation rather than desire revenge.
Form in me something of Stephen’s spirit, who could pray for mercy while suffering violence, and something of Christ’s spirit, who prayed for those who murdered Him.
Make my prayers broader and more faithful, and remind me to bring before You all those You would have me pray for.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Further Scripture References:
Matt. 5:44; Luke 22:41; Luke 23:34; Acts 13:36
[1] George Swinnock, The Works of George Swinnock, M.A. (London: J.B. for Tho. Parkhurst .., 1665), 634-637.
