Pray, Pray, and Pray Some More

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Pray, Pray, and Pray Some More

Scripture: 1 Timothy 2:1-2 (ESV)

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.

Devotion:

            Paul’s letter to Timothy contains encouragement for Paul’s young disciple Timothy. Here in chapter 2, we see Paul using just about every word for prayer in the Greek language in an effort to urge Timothy to be a man of prayer. Paul in his letter to the Thessalonians urges them to “pray without ceasing”. Why does Paul insist that the Christian be person who prays? After all, doesn’t God know what we need without our having to ask for it?

            We see that Paul here is collecting four different words for prayer. These words are so similar in meaning that it is almost impossible to separate them. What Paul is doing here is encouraging Timothy and us to use every kind of prayer to reach out to God. Eugene Peterson’s Message translation captures the meaning well:

            “The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.”

            This captures well, I believe, what Paul is trying to get across here. This translations brings out the priority prayer is to have for the believer. The first thing that we should be about as Christians is prayer. The Christian is to pray every way they know how for everyone they know and indeed those that they don’t know personally.

            The reason for this insistence on the Christian being a person of prayer is that God wants us to pray. A relationship with God works in this way like a relationship with any other person. The more you communicate the better the relationship is going to be. Prayer seldom changes God’s mind, but it frequently changes our mind. God of course knows our needs, but he is delighted for us to ask him for our daily needs so that he can answer that prayer.

            Paul stresses the need to pray for our leaders in government. Who can deny that in America at this time we need leaders who seek to be led by God rather than be led by their own selfish desires for power or prestige. There is even a promise attached to such prayers “that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.” Who can deny that this world needs this right now. So often our leaders these days seem to be sowing the seeds of discontent and division. Perhaps if we made praying for our leaders a priority things might change for the better.

Prayer:

            Lord grant us the desire to pray more. As we see in the scriptures even Jesus went away to lonely places and prayed. Help us to communicate our wants and needs to you frequently. May praying without ceasing become a way of life for us. Help our leaders see the good path of your way and seek to walk in it. May they acknowledge that they are the servants of the people and you Almighty Father that they in humility might guide the nations in paths of peace and cooperation. Amen.

 

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