“Far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you.” (1Sam.12:23)
Lord Jesus, there’s a lot more to friendship than praying for our friends, but we haven’t really been a good friend unless we’ve prayed and continue to pray for them.
For friends with broken hearts: Jesus, our hearts break for many reasons, but there is no broken heart beyond the reach, kindness, and care of your tear-wiping hand. A healed heart isn’t the same thing as a pain-free heart. When you heal our hearts you give us intimacy with yourself and mercy for others that is 10,000 times better than simply not hurting.
For friends with angry hearts: I’m not praying you will make my angry friends sweet. Help them see the sadness behind the mad and the real hurt being mishandled in more hurtful ways. You don’t despise our anger; you enter it and help us steward it.
For friends with fearful hearts: Jesus, bring your centering, calming presence to bear. To be fearful is one thing, but to be fearful and alone is almost unbearable. Speak this deep into their hearts, “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One” (Rev.1:17–18). It’s your perfect love that is most effective in taming, sabotaging, and expelling our fears; so grant us a fresh, powerful, and palpable experience of your love.
For friends with drifting hearts: We’re prone to wander, but you are way more prone to find, welcome, and bring us home. There is nothing the devil wants more than for us to love you less (2Cor.11:3). So, dazzle, delight, and deliver our hearts all over again with your truth, goodness, and beauty, Jesus. Hallelujah, thank you, and So Very Amen.
