Intercession and The Accidental Donor

Like most people reading this I’ve only ever thought of intercession as a prayer raised to our Father on behalf of someone else.

But I am discovering a new kind of intercession. And I bet you it also pleases God. Here goes.

Interceding through gifts
One of the things that I often feel compelled to do is to give. Gifts, alms, special projects, foundations, charities. And boy do I love the feeling I get inside when I give. It is elating.

Unique Presents and Unique Foundations
It starts with the thought. If it’s a birthday then it’s easy. What does she like? What unique experience or gift can I introduce him to this birthday? Where could I shop for the gift? What about the card? It’s got to be a card unique to the individual. It’s planning, it’s rewarding.

If I am giving to a foundation or a charity, then it’s normally to do with being part of a vision. I am saying to the charity, “I value your work. I believe in your vision. I want to invest in your work.”

It was after one of these moments of giving (in this instance to a foundation) that I discovered that giving was one of the ways that I could not only obey God’s Word that I should invest in acts of charity (Ecclesiastes 11: 1), but it was also an avenue for me to intercede, and intercede for the voiceless.

I wanted to make a donation to this foundation. They had organised an impressive advocacy and fundraising event. Their theme was based on the premise of ‘’look how far we’ve come and toiled; be a part of what we want to become’’. And what they wanted to become was unprecedented, challenging and remarkable.

On Being Tagged The Accidental Donor
I so wanted to give – but I did not want the organisers, friends of mine, to think that I was giving out of sympathy and not empathy. Silly, I know.

The sum to give then became an issue. $10,000? That’s how much I personally regarded and was touched by their vision. Indeed a part of me was thinking that this is the kind of vision that people give hundreds of thousands of dollars to. And I thought of donating a total of that sum through monthly instalments.

Hustle, bustle. What should I do? I knew that I must nevertheless give, despite my overwhelming anxiety as to the prospect of being tagged the accidental donor. I nevertheless gave.

Loosing the chains of Injustice
It was a few days later after I had made my (smaller though significant) donation, I discovered a comforting verse in Proverbs 31, verses 8 to 9:

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy."

That was all the comfort and confirmation I needed – accidental donor or no accidental donor. I did what I did because I wanted to, and, incidentally, it also fits in with one of the many requirements The Lord demands of us. I felt vindicated.

Being there for your friends and family
Then something else happened. A life long friend had undergone major surgery and was convalescing. She was in the UK and I committed to speak to her on the telephone twice a day. It wasn’t even a few days after I had made this decision that I realised that she really needed me by her side – even if it was for a few days. I calculated the costs – finances, work issues, etc. I could afford it – I had three times the money I needed for the trip in the bank: but I also had my own plans for the money.

I was discomforted by my unease. How on earth could I be thinking this way? This dear friend is in distress and needs comforting – the last person I should be thinking about is myself. Then a scripture jumped out to me: Isaiah 58, verses 6 to 9:

"This is the kind of fast day I'm after: to break the chains of injustice, get rid of exploitation in the workplace, free the oppressed, cancel debts. What I'm interested in seeing you do is: sharing your food with the hungry, inviting the homeless poor into your homes, putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad, being available to your own families.”

Being available to your own families. And you know that fasting is not just abstinence from food, right? In my instance it would mean abstinence from whatever I had planned to spend the money on. I made the booking.

Mother Theresa? Not
I am no Mother Theresa – some of you who know me can testify to that! But I think what drives me is the need to treat and celebrate others as I would have them treat and celebrate me. Yes, the generosity might backfire. It has its costs, implications and impacts – good or bad, negative or positive. But I love doing it.

Do good: be rich in helping others; be extravagantly generous (2 Timothy 6 verses 17-19).

Intercede. Cast your bread upon many waters.