The Intercessory Prayer

The Scripture has a number of major characters who stride across the stage and linger in the spotlight for what seems like forever.  Abraham and Moses are a couple from the Old Testament and Peter and Paul are a pair from the New Testament.  But, there are also a host of minor characters whose lives proclaim powerful messages to us.  One mentioned in Paul's letter to the Christians at Colossae is Epaphras.  His moment in the spotlight is a couple of verses long and is found in the parting words of the Apostle Paul.  "Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you.  He is always wrestling in his prayers on your behalf..."  (Colossians 4:12)       

When we practice the spiritual discipline of intercessory prayer, it is not likely that we think of it as a moment of spiritual wrestling.  Wrestling is an interesting image for this type of prayer.  The implication is that there is an adversary against among we are struggling in our prayer.  It also carries with it the possibility of being thrown to the ground and being left with hurts and scars.  Maybe intercessory prayer is more dangerous than we thought.  Or, maybe our practice of it is a Sunday School version rather than a standing at the gates of hell kind of struggle.    

When we start thinking about intercessory prayer as well as practicing it, Epaphras is a good role model and mentor.  It would do us well to sit with this minor character for a spell, sees what makes him tick, and notice how it is that he is praying.  Perhaps, we have not seen any of this in what we have observed as his brief appearance on the pages of Scripture which may simply mean that we have not lingered long enough to see the wrestling match, or to get in the fight with him.