I recently came across a commentary note that spoke of Jesus’ prayer in the garden of Gethsemane. The note challenged the tradition I’d been taught, yet made total sense to me in light of how I have felt to pray on occasion.

The author of the note felt that Jesus was praying in the garden to be spared from death that night, that he might live long enough to die on the cross and not prematurely die in the garden. While the author did not go into detail as to how or why he had reached that conclusion, the concept struck a chord in me.

All of us are going to die at some point in the future. That is inevitable. As christians, death isn’t something to be feared or draw back from, but it isn’t to be an escape from the realities of the life we live here on earth. Death ends our time in this realm and introduces us to the fullness of heaven’s life and reality.

I am grateful when others brings needs and concerns involving friends and loved ones to body of Christ for intercession. They may not call it that, but when word comes to them of cancer or a horrific accident, of an at-risk pregnancy or any other difficulty, all in distress look for a salvation beyond themselves. They may not believe in Jesus as Savior, but if they know you do they will draw on your faith to seek deliverance for the situation. They know they don’t have the solution so they are looking for someone who does.

I am not a doctor or a mechanic or a carpenter. My skills are few. I have no real resources to fix anyone’s problems.  So why people come to me with their issues would be a mystery if I didn’t know that they aren’t looking to me, but they are looking at Who I am connected to.

I am connected to the God Who breathes life into dead bones. I know He raises the dead, even today, even if I haven’t seen it myself, because He has done it in the past and continues to do it through others today.  He doesn’t change who He is. He is Life. He is Love. He is ….. Continually in the present HE IS! So back to what struck the chord in me…

Our prayer, for ourselves and for those who are facing trouble, should never be focused on death. It should not be focused on whatever disease or injury is causing the possibility of death. It should not be fearful cries for deliverance from death.

Our focus needs to be LIFE! God brought each person onto the face of this earth. Each was uniquely crafted by His design for the time and place and people that they are in. Each individual has a destiny. A course of life that only they can set in motion. Our prayer cry needs to be calling for whatever it takes to see that destiny fulfilled.

If we know specific things about a person’s destiny we should be PROCLAIMING those words, particularly if those things have not happened yet. God spoke “Light Be” into darkness. Light was not visible before He spoke. That is our model. If there are things of a person’s destiny that have not yet shown themselves, call them forth just as God called forth light.

For destiny to be fulfilled we need to pray that no one leaves life early. Whether through disease or accident or suicide we need to stand in the gap and cry out for DESTINY to be FULFILLED.  For if what a person was purposed to do has been completed there is ease in releasing them from this life.

Lord I thank You for the destinies yet to be fulfilled. Let those destinies bring hope and vision to anyone that may be struggling to go on right now. Help them to know that You loved them enough to create purpose for their lives. And that You will give them the strength they need and anything else necessary to accomplish that destiny.  You don’t condemn us even when we fall short of all that You have for us, but Lord we want to bring You the joy of destinies fulfilled.