Life as a Church

Prayer

Paul begins with prayer. Above all, let us pray as a congregation. Prayer should occupy a prominent place in our life as a congregation.

Four different words for prayer are mentioned here: supplications, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings. I believe this choice of words serves to emphasise once again the importance of prayer.

Let us pray to God with a sense of reverence and honour. After all, we are praying to God.

And at the same time, with trust.

Let us bring before Him our needs just as we experience them. And let us offer the Lord thanksgiving and worship from the heart. Not only when He has answered a specific prayer, but also in general for who He is and what He does.

We are to pray for all people.

• For believers and non-believers

• For people close to us, and people far away

• For friends and for enemies

Because God loves all people and He wants all people to be saved. This will of God is also expressed in 2 Peter 3:9:

He does not wish anyone to perish, but for all to come to repentance. (2 Pet 3:9)

And also in John 3:16

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

Let us therefore pray for all people in accordance with God’s heart.

Paul also mentions a specific group of people: kings and all those in authority. God wants us to pray even for these people.

At that time, Emperor Nero was the emperor of Rome. At that time, Christians were being hung on stakes and burnt. It is in this context that I understand Paul’s words: ‘that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life’.

As we read the following verses, Paul directs our thoughts back (again and again!) to God and his Gospel.

There is one God, and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus. (1 Tim 2:5)

This mediator is the reason why we are able to pray at all. How can we, as sinful human beings, draw near to a holy God? Only through Jesus Christ our Lord. He is the mediator.

He gave himself as a ransom for all. It is God’s will that all people should be saved. God demonstrated this by giving his Son as a ransom for all. Jesus died for everyone. Everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.

Let us therefore pray for all people!