This Day in History: 0000-11-13

November 13 – 1 Timothy 2:1-4

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.

Let’s talk about the way we pray. Are we making it a regular practice to pray for others? The New Testament is absolutely saturated with both examples of believers praying for others, and appeals for prayer from the body. It would be difficult to read through the Epistles without getting a sense of the importance of intercessory prayer.

Friends, I am certain you are as eager as I am to do the things that are good and pleasing to God our Savior! So let’s allow ourselves to be guided by this passage and begin today to pray for all people. Let’s be intentional about setting aside some time each day to lift up the needs of all those God brings to mind.

Let’s pray for our church family, asking for God’s help with any needs we know of, and thanking Him for the gift of community. Let’s thank Him too for the individual gifts and talents of our brothers and sisters, and ask Him to lead us in properly applying them.

Let’s pray in this same way for our friends and family. Let’s ask God to draw to Himself any that are lost. Let’s praise Him for each unique individual and for the gifts of love and belonging.

Let’s pray for our leaders: presidents, governors, teachers, pastors, congress-people, judges, law-enforcement officers, parents, spouses, anyone we know of who is in a position of authority. Let’s ask God to give each of them wisdom, and a heart that beats for Him. Let’s ask Him to give them a love for those they lead that serves with humility and genuinely seeks the best interest of their followers. If we know of any specific needs in their lives, let’s ask for God’s help. Finally, let’s thank God for each of them, acknowledging His sovereignty in placing them into their positions. I know this can be difficult when we don’t agree with the things they do, but I truly believe we can find at least one thing to admire about every human being on this planet. So, find those things, and thank God for them! It is good. And it pleases God.