Intercession From the Prison House
"I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day."
Paul wrote this letter to Timothy from a Roman prison. He already knew that he was to be executed, and it had already been decreed how he would die. He was expecting at any time for them to come for him and he would be beheaded. But he recieved word that Timothy was discouraged and even fearful. Persecution was a harsh daily reality with many being killed for their faith.
And to add to that, some of Timothy's own church leaders were causing problems within that assembly. The devil was having a heyday with Timothy's emotions and into this setting, Paul wrote, "Without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers day and night."
The Greek word from which remembrance comes is not only memory. But it means remembering past victories, exploits, and great works of faithfulness. It also means to establish a memorial to a certain person. It could even mean to build a momument in that person's honor.
What a prayer meeting that must have been! And it was coming from a condemned man's prison cell. Paul began to pray for Timothy. He reminded God of past things that Timothy had accomplished. Then he began to build a memorial and a monument in the presence of God.
Let me encourage you when you: go to prayer for someone today. Pray with such fervor and sincerity that you erect a monument for that person in heaven's throne room for God to see. Every time you pray, God sees and remembers because you have built a memorial. Many times weak results are the product of weak prayers.
Pray!
