Morning & Evening Devotional Reading–

 January 11– Evening

by C. H. Spurgeon, Revised and Edited by W. C. Neff

“I have prayed for you.” 

—Luke 22:32

How encouraging is the thought of the Redeemer’s never-ceasing intercession for us. When we pray, he pleads for us; and when we are not praying, he is advocating our cause, and, by his supplications, shielding us from unseen dangers. Notice the word of comfort addressed to Peter: “Simon, Simon, Satan has desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat, but” —then what? “But go and pray for yourself?” That would be good advice, but that’s not what is written. Neither does he say, “But I will keep you watchful, and so you can preserve yourself.” That would be a great blessing. But no! It says, “But I have prayed for you, that your faith will not fail.”

We know little of what we owe to our Savior’s prayers. When we reach the hilltops of heaven and look back upon all the way whereby the Lord our God has led us, how much we will praise him, who before the eternal throne undid the mischief which Satan was doing upon earth. How shall we thank him because he never held his peace but, day and night, pointed to the wounds upon his hands and carried our names upon his breastplate! Even before Satan had begun to tempt Peter, Jesus had already entered a plea in heaven. Mercy always outruns malice.

Notice that he does not merely say, “Satan has desired to have you.” But he checks Satan in his very desire and reveals his true plans. And Jesus does not say, “But I have desired to pray for you.” No, but “I have prayed for you: I have done it already; I have gone to court and entered a counterplea even before an accusation was made.”

O Jesus, what a comfort it is that you have pleaded our cause against our unseen enemies. You have cleared their minefields and unmasked their ambushes. This gives us great joy, gratitude, hope, and confidence today. [M&E]