Gleanings – Praying for ALL Men
1 Timothy 2:1-6
“First of all, then I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings be made for all men, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, godly and respectful in every way.”
Prayer is a regular part of my life. It does not come naturally (not much for being still) or as easily as some would think. But it is routine primarily because I have the privilege of intercessing on behalf of folks to whom God has bound me in some way. But here is a confession. Rarely do I pray for the leaders of our nation, “all who are in high positions,” unless prompted to do so in public worship.
The absence of prayer stems from having little confidence that most are there to serve the common good. Once in power, it seems elected leaders are required to spend most of their time keeping power. Mark Halperin wrote an article a few years back on how politics had ceased to be about the truth and was now always about power, getting it and keeping it. Those on the left and right alike poll (or test by focus group) issues to determine what resonates with the masses. That becomes their platform. Rarely do politicians take on positions as a matter of principle and certainly not ones that will make them unelectable. So why pray for them if they don’t perceive leadership as acting on our behalf “that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, godly and respectful in every way?”
But who needs our prayers more? Every piece of legislation enacted or not enacted impacts at least 300 million people and in all likelihood billions given our influence around the world. Great power, whether garnered legitimately or not, resides in their hands. What if they acted on our behalf to insure we could live godly lives? They have in the past. Christianity played a significant role the abolition of gladiator games, making sport of humiliation and death. Three successive emperors led the way. Faith drove Wilberforce in his determination to see slavery abolished. Won’t someone rise to power and end abortion as birth control which, when history is written, will be considered far more barbaric than both gladiator games and slavery combined? Perhaps but unlikely without the strength of 300 million prayers behind him.
Must go! Time to pray!