Who can be my “Perfect Prayer Partner?”

We have an American friend who is 93 years old. Whenever we meet or talk over phone, the one thing that he never forgets to mention is this: “I am praying for your family and ministry daily.” I marvel at this one statement. I am always happy about people praying for me, though I strictly obey the Biblical command that I also need to pray. So then, who can be my perfect prayer partner? In a recent study of the Bible, I was fascinated by the fact that Jesus prays for people. There were occasions in His life time on earth when he prayed for others.

Jesus Prayed for Little Children

On one occasion, people wanted Jesus to place his hands and pray for their little children. The disciples rebuked them. But Jesus evaluated them as citizens of heaven and placed his hands on them and blessed them (Matthew 19:13-15). Jesus said that children have angels who always represent them to the Father in Heaven (Matthew 18:10). We need to be aware of the fact that children are always prayed for and cared for.

Jesus Prayed for Peter

Jesus prays for His children, both young and old.  Luke 22 describes the incidents in the last few days of Jesus, before he was crucified. This chapter describes how Satan successfully triumphed in the life of Judas Iscariot. It was in such a brooding situation Jesus knew that Peter, the closest disciple of Jesus also was going to deny him. It is clearly stated that Satan said to Jesus that he is going to sift (make him sin) Peter like wheat (v. 31).  But Jesus said that he has prayed for Simon that his faith may not fail. He knew that Peter would turn back to Jesus and so he wanted him to strengthen his brothers. Peter having this image of Satan who tried to sift him writes in his letter later, warning us about Satan who prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8).

We need to know that Jesus loves every one and prays for them. But there is always the role of a human responsibility in which Judas failed and yielded to Satan. Simon though he denied, later confessed and turned back and strengthened his brothers.

Jesus Prayed for His Disciples

John 17 is a record of the longest prayer of Jesus. It comes again in a gloomy context where we find Jesus giving his farewell address from chapter 14 onwards. It would have been really soothing to the disciples whose hearts were by then aching (14:1). Some words which are often repeated here in this prayer are regarding: glory, protection, sanctification and oneness. Jesus prays attributing all glory which is due to God and God alone. The rest of the three are his greatest concerns for the disciples living then and for all those disciples living in the years to come. He prays for protection for a disciple in particular from the ‘evil one,’ Satan. This was what he prayed for Peter. Jesus prayed that his disciples live a holy life. He also prays for a unity in diversity among his disciples.

Jesus Prays for Me

Jesus is the holy and righteous priest in whom we can rely upon, compared to earthly human beings. There may be righteous people like Elijah whose fervent prayers God hears (James 5:16). There are elders in churches whom Apostle James suggests to call and pray for healing and restoration. They are of a help in times we cannot pray. A unison prayer of a two or three is powerful and effective. But we need to always remember that we have Jesus, the perfect priest and the sacrifice himself who intercedes for us always (Hebrews 7:25, Romans 8:34). Still great is the fact that the Holy Spirit helps us in our weaknesses when we do not know what we ought to pray. The Spirit intercedes for us in wordless groans (Romans 8:26-27). What a compassionate Godhead we have?  These compassionate, intercessory prayers are for us believers that we would not sin against God (1 John 2:1).  What more do we need?

It is mandatory that we pray and we behave as responsible children of God. Let us always be happy that the followers of Jesus are covered in His blood. It was the shedding of His holy blood for our sins in the cross that puts Him up the pedestal than any others. No wonder, I fall in love with Jesus,  my perfect priest and prayer partner all over again. 

“Go find my brothers and tell them!” - A Reflection from the Life of Magdalene Mary

Magdalene Mary is one woman who has been misunderstood during her life time and even now. What is her true story? She was one among the few named women in the gospels. Her name comes in all the gospels, 14 times. She was always listed first among any named women. The risen Christ firstly appeared to Magdalene Mary. She has been widely accepted as an “Apostle to the Apostles”. The gospels in the Bible imply that Magdalene Mary should have been in a leadership position among disciples.

Her Story
She is called Magdalene Mary, because she comes from a small town, “Magdala.” She was troubled as a youth, possessed by seven demons. Her life changed, from being a vessel of dishonour to an ornament of Jesus’ power. Because Luke 8:1-3 follows the unnamed sinner woman’s story, many tend to connect Magdalene and the sinner woman, and thereby call Magdalene Mary as a “reformed prostitute.” Demonic possession and sin of a woman need not have to do with an immoral behaviour always. Mary Magdalene became a follower of Jesus. She and a women’s group served Jesus and his team by taking care of their food and lodging, out of their own means (Luke 8:1-3)

Magdalene Mary followed Jesus all the way till the cross, while the “twelve’’ who were all men, did not do that. The “top two” disciples, Peter and John gave up, searching for Jesus at the empty tomb and went back home (John 20:3-9). But Magdalene Mary persistently waited at the empty tomb, all alone. So, God planned angels to talk to her at the empty tomb. To her surprise and shock, she then saw Jesus and she tried to hold on to him, conveying a message, that she did not want to lose him physically anymore. But Jesus gave a spiritual mandate to her to tell the good news to the other brothers (John 20:17). But we also see that the disciples did not believe her (Mark 16:11). Jesus appeared to the disciples, the men later. But they were stubborn and cynical and Jesus had to rebuke them (Mark 16:14).

The writers of the four gospels differ in their accounts about the resurrection, but they all agree that Magdalene Mary played a central role in meeting the risen Christ and that she told others. But Paul also did not acknowledge Magdalene Mary or the other women, as witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:4-8). Mary Magdalene should have been even among the 120, which included women, on the day of the Pentecost, mentioned in Acts 1 & 2.

Traditions say that Magdalene Mary served as an evangelist and went as far as France to proclaim the good news. The truth and the good news today is: it is Jesus who entitles women to take their place alongside brothers in churches and ministries today, like how he empowered Magdalene Mary. We all have the same spiritual mandate of telling about a risen Christ to the men and women in villages, towns, hills and everywhere! Dusting off all criticisms, women can find their strength in the words of Jesus. HE says to you and me today, “Go find my brothers and tell them!” Let us therefore do it!!