Intercessory Prayer

This has to be real quick, although I could probably spend hours here today. Anybody pay attention to the Millions More Movement rally this weekend in Washington DC.? Anybody as shaken as I am over the continual invocation of Allah over our Nation's Capitol? Any mention of Jesus was in a list of prophets or teachers, usually mid way through the list that included Budha, Martin Luther King JR. and Mohammad. But that isn't my main subject right now...
During worship yesterday, I fell to my knees, wanting to pray, needing to pray for my sweet grandson Elijah, and for my Son (named for another prophet), and the LORD clearly told me not to. He said "lay them down at my feet and leave them there...you are to "intercede" for your students - for the ones I have entrusted to your care. Focus on them. It was hard. It wasn't where my heart was. But it was powerful. I never much understood intercessory prayer. Why tell God what He needs to do, or ask Him to change His mind, or demand that he hurry up? That was the way intercession seemed to me. Why not just say, Hey God, see that problem over there? Thy will be done...amen!" Besides, why should we intercede when there is only One to intercede, namely Jesus. But this Sunday, as I knelt at the alter - seeing my students, all of whom seems to be lost in the dark - seeing their beautiful faces and imagining them all worshiping the LORD, I think I got at least a hint of what intercession is all about. Maybe?
Blessings all! Oh yeah, The prodical son has returned...we'll be killing the fatted calf soon.