I am reading from God’s Word this morning and come to 1 Timothy 2:1-6 as Paul says to young Timothy:
“I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. For, There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time.”
Years ago a very popular statement made its way through to churches. Things were changing, different ideas were being introduced as to how to accomplish certain things. The statement was “the methods may change but the message is always Jesus”. Well, I am sure someone else has had this thought, but the times may change but the message is always Jesus.
The times are changing, as they always do, and sometimes we are ok with the changes and sometimes we are not. A lot of what is happening today around us may not be what we want or agree with but that is life. In whatever is happening, we have to be His people.
Like Timothy through Paul’s letter, God is saying to you as a Christian today there are things you need to do. Pray for all people. That’s right, all people whether you agree with them or not. Whether they are your neighbor or live on the other side of the world. It doesn’t make any difference as it is personal prayer when you know the neighbor with Covid next door, or the one who God knows in the Dominican Republic. How did he put it? Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. This is a simple and clear way we are to pray.
Well, as he continues to write he says: Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. As a Christian I hope that you have been taught and encouraged to pray this way. It is right and it is necessary, we will see that in a moment, that we pray for our leaders. Over my life time I have never known there to be a perfect person leading. It makes no difference at what level of government. They are all human and thus capable of errors in judgment. It makes no difference as to whether I agree with them or not, God’s Word says to pray for them as He lead Paul to remind Timothy: Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.
As a note here, this seems so general but it is actually providing the foundation for our prayers. It establishes what we are to do and then circumstances and knowledge will direct specific prayer. Everyone needs your prayers and certainly those in authority over us because they can and do effect our daily lives.
You might say to me that‘s all well and good but what’s in it for me? Doesn’t that sound a little self serving once you see it in print? Probably, but watch what God says ...so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. There is no promise things will be as you want them, but it does say life will be peaceful and quiet with goodness and dignity.
Remember how you asked a moment ago what’s in it for me? You felt bad about it and you were hoping God might forget and He did because Paul writes this next: This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.
Hallelujah, God is always being God. What a blessing because you and I are always going to be us. We are not always going to get it right and we are going to at times be led by selfish desires. Praise God that He is a forgiving God that wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.
So today in the words of the apostle Paul “I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. For, There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time.”
A thought to ponder,
Elbert Nasworthy
