A Plea for Prayer

“O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour!” (Job 16:21 AV)

Job’s utterance here goes to the true need of his heart.  This statement may have been meant as a bit snarky, but there is more truth and pleading here then there is sarcasm.  His three friends are relentless.  They think they mean well.  But in the depths of their hearts, they are trying to puff up their own feigned wisdom and spirituality at the expense of Job.  They will not quit until Job remains unresolved.  The statement above is simple enough to understand.  Job wishes his three friends would take their opinions and concerns to God on behalf of Job with as much fervency as they are with Job.  He wishes their empathy and concern for Job would be excised rather unto prayer.  By using the word ‘neighbor’, Job is suggesting these three men are his friends and it is that bond of relationship that should drive them to the throne of God rather than drive them to attack him.  It is in another vein we wish to consider this. It is not in the criticism this statement may be suggesting, but rather, what I believe is Job’s plea for prayer from those who claim to be his friends.

Prayer goes a long way.  It has many effects.  Prayer does indeed change things.  But more than an opinion or counsel, prayer shows those in need of it there is empathy, concern, and love shown towards them.  This is what Job needed most.  Only God knew the answer to ‘why’ and pontificating about it was useless.  What these men needed to do was to come to Job and pray with him.  They didn’t need to find the solution to, or cause of, his situation.  Job needed prayer!  It was the one thing they didn’t give him.  My heart is moved this morning at the need of prayer.  We simply do not pray for and with one another enough.  We don’t!  We wage our private wars without the power of prayer.  Not just our prayer.  But the prayer we can enjoy with others.  These prayers are the compliment to the word of God and faith.  We can know scripture by heart.  We can believe it with all our heart.  Unless the heart is engaged by prayer, then we are trying to set up a tripod without one leg.

There really are no words to expound any more on what Job is deeply desiring here.  There are many hurting brothers and sisters in Christ who need the companionship of a praying friend.  The need an ear.  They need a shoulder.  What they really need is a knee.  A bended knee that will join them and plead with God for and with them.  What they need is not an arm around the shoulder as a voice says things they already know, or, things that are not even relevant.  What they need is an arm around the shoulder as they join hearts to assault the throne of God.  Pride is the enemy.  Either we are too proud to ask for prayer, or, too proud to offer it.  Job wasn’t too proud to ask for it.  He was demanding it!  We all need prayer.  We all need a variety of prayer partners.  Otherwise, we are sinking ships, just like Job, without any comfort or hope among God’s people.