Gold chains about the feet of God

In Tennyson’s poem, King Arthur pleads to Sir Bedivere: “Pray for my soul. More things are wrought by prayer Than this world dreams of. Wherefore, let thy voice Rise like a fountain for me night and day. For so the whole round earth is every way Bound by gold chains about the feet of God.”

This very day loved ones are in critical care units, and family and friends are in waiting rooms praying for them. This very hour, a mother or father, is bowed in prayer for their child who is living away from home. This very minute, a spouse or son or daughter is speaking to God about their wife or husband, father or mother who serves their country in harm's way.

In houses of worship around the world, church members are asking the Lord to help, bless, deliver, watch over, and keep someone that they have named by name. Those engaged in Christian ministry on foreign mission fields, in small border towns, in shelters for the homeless and homes for the elderly, are asking the church for its prayers—just as Paul, some 2000 years ago, in a Roman prison, wrote to his church friends in Ephesus, 'Pray also for me.'

In Children’s Letters to God, one child prays: 'Dear God, It rained for our whole vacation and is my father mad! He said some things about you that people are not supposed to say, but I hope you will not hurt him anyway. Your friend. But I am not going to tell you who I am.”

Prayer for others is the single most powerful thing we can do in and for the lives of others! We are Sarah, praying that our child will find a good spouse. We are Abraham, praying for the few righteous of Sodom and Gomorrah. We are Moses, praying for an entire nation. We are Job, praying for those with whom God is irritated. We are Samuel, praying for the King Sauls who are failing in faith. Through prayer, we are Andrew and Philip, bringing our brothers Simon and Nathaniel to Jesus.

We are the Roman officer, concerned about the welfare of an employee. We are the parent who brings to Jesus the child with the evil spirit that throws him down and will not leave him day or night. We are those who, through our intercessions, bring our friend to the house where Jesus is, tear away the roof, and, in the spirit of prayer, lower down before Jesus the one whom only Jesus can help.

Scottish theologian John Macquarie explains: 'Intercessory prayer should not be treated like magic, like some pulling of celestial strings to manipulate the affairs of life. Prayer, as intercession, helps to make the human person porous to the divine reality.'

This can mean, among other possibilities, that when our hearts and longings- for-good intercede for others, we are adding our will to the will of God— permitting our hearts to be penetrated by the Heart of the Holy One, who has always and already known and answered the needs of his children.

Hear the admonition of James: “Pray for each other. The prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results.” Hear the plea of Paul: “Pray also for me.” Hear the words of Samuel: “Far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you.”

Pray for each other. Be so thankful that others are praying for you. “For so the whole round earth is every way Bound by gold chains about the feet of God.”