“Pray for me,” someone says. How seriously do most Christians
take such requests?
“The request ‘pray for me’ is one that I have learned to honor,”
writes Kenneth Carter, a pastor for nearly 30 years. “It is a
cry for help, however it is expressed. It is an acknowledgment
that we are limited and finite creatures. It is a trust placed in a
higher power.”
Using a beautiful metaphor, Carter compares the person in
need—whether it’s because of illness, a broken relationship,
unemployment, grief, or another crisis—to a full bucket. That
person’s bucket is filled with emotion, grief, confusion, and
disappointment.
The intercessor comes alongside the person with an empty
bucket. Intercessors take into their “empty bucket” the person’s
needs, and they begin their ministry of praying for that person.
In “Pray for Me,” Carter lays a scriptural foundation and
introduces readers to the ministry of intercessory prayer.
Interspersed through the 6 chapters are brief, practical
exercises that lead the reader to pray for others in various
situations. Appendices include a small-group guide, contexts
for intercessory prayer, personal and congregational models for
intercession, and suggestions for further reading.
This book is a must-read for groups and congregations that
want to explore intercession more deeply, or feel the need to
pray for others but don’t know how.
