July 18 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Matthew 8:5–10

Devotional

A Roman centurion, concerned for his suffering servant, came before the Lord Jesus. In the centurion’s example we have a rich lesson that puts us to shame. If a child of God is numb and listless, then the need of another person may actually become the means whereby God’s Spirit awakens his soul. By interceding for others, he himself can become quickened and revived at God’s throne. That was the case with this centurion. It was through his prayer for his servant that his faith was greatly enlivened. His intercession for others crowned him with a richer spiritual life.

We do not need to be spiritually exercised to be able to entrust others to the Lord. However, our deceitful hearts have many excuses as to why we do not intercede for others. Also God’s people can say all too easily that they cannot pray as they should. Understand clearly, however, that we cannot find the grace or the strength to intercede for others within ourselves. It will all come to nothing if on a certain day we decide that from now on we will forget ourselves more and try to focus our prayers on the needs of others. All this is not possible in our own strength. Thankfully there is another way, a better way for weak ones.

We must look to the only Intercessor, Christ. He teaches us to pray for others. The fruit of interceding for others comes forth only from Him, for He is the One who ever lives to pray for His people. This ability is given not to great ones, but to the least important ones; it is for the despised and rejected ones. This is truly what we must become, in order to be under the care of the great Intercessor. He will teach the meek and lowly to pray also for others. Only at His feet will we learn to be renewed and bring others before God’s throne. There we will also understand that we are not worthy that He should come under our roof. Christ brings forth fruit in the lives of His people, also the fruit of interceding for others. Christ saw the fruit of His own work also in this centurion.

In our prayer closets there is so much yet to be done. Or is there no need, no sickness, no sadness, no loneliness, and no deadness to lay before God’s throne? Are these matters not all around us and within us? By praying and interceding we too will be blessed. In this way the spiritual life of the church of God will be increased.

 

From The Everlasting Word by Frans Bakker, compiled and translated by Gerald R. Procee. Reformation Heritage Books and Free Reformed Publications, 2007. Used by permission. For further information, click here.