THE STARTING PLACE
1 Timothy 2:1-5 NKJV
1 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,
When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, He gave them what we call the Lord’s Prayer. In Matthew 6:9-13, we find the most complete of the gospel accounts on that prayer. While many believe this is the prayer that Jesus taught us to pray word for word, others believe Jesus was giving a pattern for prayer. Because Jesus would often spend all night in prayer, I believe He was giving His disciples His template for prayer. And so I believe the Lord’s Prayer is a wonderful pattern of prayer. Am I against praying this prayer word for word? Of course not. I believe it provides the outline of how we can approach our Heavenly Father.
Jesus started with the worship and honor of God. This would be considered worship and praise but totally connected to prayer. This is how we approach the Throne of Grace. Once we have acknowledged the holiness and awesomeness of God, now it’s time to ask, to petition, God. But here is where we typically move into our personal problems and areas where we need God’s help. But the starting place for petitioning God is not with us. As Jesus taught, we pray and ask about God’s Kingdom and God’s will.
Paul, writing to Timothy and broaching the subject of prayer, said that first of all, we pray for all men. Praying for those who are in natural authority. I believe it is wise to also include those who are in spiritual authority. After all, we are praying for all men. The prayers for all men are that God’s Kingdom will advance and God’s will be done. This prayer is particularly important as we face another change in leadership in our nation. I also add the nations of the world and Israel because of verse two.
“That we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.” With all the world turmoil, we, as God’s family on the earth, cannot afford to sit back and let things just happen. We may not be significant in our natural status, but in prayer, we can have a greater amount of influence. We know that God desires for all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. But we have a part in this process. If things “just happened” and we have nothing to do or say about it, then why would Jesus teach us to pray for God’s Kingdom to come and His will to be done?
I believe we have more of a spiritual voice than we have realized. And praying for our nation and things happening in the world is our responsibility. God wants salvation to come to all men, and we have a part to play. This is why we support local and world missions. This is why we are online and on television. And this is why we pray.
Verse five of our passage today is an accurate truth that makes world missions a priority. God’s priority. There is only one God and one Mediator between God and mankind- Jesus! Not many paths to God. Not many varieties of God. Not your God, my God. This is one God and one way to Him, Jesus Christ. I am not being narrow-minded, but I am being biblically minded. This is why we don’t just pray for ourselves. We want to pray for those things that our Father God is concerned about. This is a family business, and the Head of our family wants all men to receive the salvation and truth that has already been purchased for them through Christ.
APPLICATION
Let’s resist the urge to begin every prayer with the needs that are pressing upon us. Let’s start with acknowledging God and His greatness and then praying for the things that concern His Kingdom and His will. That’s just good family manners.
PRAYER
Lord, You are great. Your Kingdom come and Your will be done in our country, in Israel and around the world. I desire, as You do, to see people saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.